ABC is at risk of losing tens of millions of dollars should it officially decide to scrap the new season of The Bachelorette entirely.
Days before season 24, fronted by 31-year-old reality star Taylor Frankie Paul, was scheduled to premiere, the network pulled the show after footage of Paul’s 2023 alleged assault involving her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, was leaked.
“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,” ABC’s parent company, Disney, said in a statement Thursday.
While the dating series is owned by Warner Bros., ABC would still eat the reported $30 million-plus spent on the licensing fees and marketing costs, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Each episode costs about $2 million to produce, the outlet reported. Given that a typical season runs an average of 10 episodes, the total production budget likely lands around $20 million.
On top of that, The Hollywood Reporter estimated marketing costs to be in the several millions, bringing the total potential loss to roughly $30 million. Then there are ad sales: ABC charges about $100,000 for a 30-second advertisement to run during The Bachelorette, industry sources told the publication. With an average of half an hour of ads per two-hour episode, that adds several million more in lost revenue.
ABC would still recover a portion of the ad revenue by selling spots during whichever show replaces The Bachelorette’s Sunday slot — though at a much lower price. It’s also likely that the network will have to pay makegoods to the advertisers losing their spots on the scrapped season.
The Independent has contacted ABC for comment.
Following the release of the violent video, Paul’s representative issued a statement, accusing Mortensen, 33, of leaking the 2023 video “to distract from his own behavior.”
Both individuals are currently under investigation over an alleged domestic dispute that occurred last month.
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Paul and Mortensen were in a tumultuous three-year relationship that has been well documented on Hulu’s hit reality show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. In March 2024, the exes welcomed son, Ever. Paul has two other children: daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, from her first marriage to Tate Paul.
Mortensen later denied Paul’s claims in a statement of his own, saying: “As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation. 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.”
Paul’s representative released a second statement, this time addressing the cancellation of The Bachelorette. “Taylor 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,” her spokesperson said in a statement, per Variety. “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.”
