Joe Amabile is predicting that the cancellation of Taylor Frankie Paul’s season 22 of The Bachelorette will not be the end of the franchise.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen to the franchise. I don’t know if this is it. If they come back, are they going to come back with The Bachelorette or are they going to come back with The Bachelor?” Joe, 39, questioned on the Sunday, March 22, episode of the “Not Married to This” podcast with wife Serena Pitt.
He continued, “What do I think is going to happen next? I think, since I went on the show – the first time I went on the show was 2018 — people were saying, ‘This is it. This is going to be the last season.’ People say that all the time. I think this is really bad, but I also think it’s still publicity. If anything, more people are talking about the Bachelor franchise now than maybe ever.”
Joe pointed out that the famed Bachelor mansion has been recently renovated thanks to the HGTV series Bachelor Mansion Takeover, which stars several alums helping to redo the home.
“They have a brand new mansion,” Joe said. “I, personally, if you’re still a fan of the franchise and you want to watch, I would bet a lot of money that they come back. Like, I don’t think it’s over. I think they come back and I think they go to their bread and butter, which is The Bachelor.”
News broke last week that Taylor and ex Dakota Mortensen were involved in an alleged domestic violence incident leading to season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives halting production. A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department in Utah confirmed to Us Weekly at the time that there was an open “domestic assault investigation” concerning the pair, noting that allegations were “made in both directions.”
“There’s more to the context to everything and it’s unfortunate,” Taylor exclusively told Us at a New York City press dinner on Tuesday, March 17. “It’s been hard. And it sucks to be in this position. And the mother that I am, that is something I will always stand my ground on. I believe that I am a good mother and I have always treated my kids very well. So the headlines that are out right now are very hard to see because that’s not the truth of it. I have always treated my children with respect and I’ve never touched them. So it’s been really hard.”
Days later, TMZ released footage of Taylor physically assaulting and throwing multiple chairs at Mortensen in an 2023 altercation while in the presence of her daughter. The incident led to her arrest at the time, where she was charged with aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury and criminal mischief after the incident. Taylor ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, while the other four charges were dismissed with prejudice. She later reached a plea deal.
Hours after the footage was released, ABC announced the cancellation of The Bachelorette season 22 — which was set to premiere on Sunday, March 22.
“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson told Us in a statement.
A rep for Taylor later told Us in a statement that she “is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security.”
“After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm,” the rep said.
The statement continued, “There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives. Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation, and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”
Dakota, for his part, broke his silence on the footage in a separate statement.
“As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation,” Dakota said at the time. “I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”
Dakota has since been granted a temporary protective order against Taylor and given temporary custody of their 2-year-old son, Ever, per documents obtained by Us. (Taylor is also mom to daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, whom she shares with ex-husband Tate Paul.)
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
