Jesse Palmer Responds to Fan Campaign to Air Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette Season
Serving as grand marshal at Winchester, Virginia’s Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival on May 2, Jesse Palmer smiled and waved — and faced the question he can’t escape: What’s next for The Bachelorette as the Taylor Frankie Paul controversy engulfs season 22?
So, The Bachelorette is still in limbo, and people are now yelling about it at parades. Yep.
Jesse Palmer got heckled at a parade
On Saturday, May 2, host Jesse Palmer, 47, served as grand marshal of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, Virginia. While he was waving from a white convertible, two people in the crowd shouted: "Jesse, release Taylor's Bachelorette!" He laughed it off and kept it moving, and that was that. No comment, no update, just a wave and a smile.
Where the season stands
Season 22 was led by Taylor Frankie Paul, 31, and was supposed to premiere March 22. Days before that date, ABC pulled the season after video from Taylor's 2023 domestic violence arrest resurfaced online. Disney Entertainment Television said at the time that they were not moving forward with the new season and were focusing on supporting the family.
Taylor's response
Through her rep, the 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' personality thanked ABC for backing her while she prioritizes safety for herself and her kids. The rep also said Taylor had endured serious abuse for years, and that she is now ready to confront her accuser and take steps to protect her family.
What happened legally
Taylor was arrested in February 2023 after an incident with then-boyfriend, now ex, Dakota Mortensen, 33. She later pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault in a deal that dismissed additional child abuse charges, and she was placed on probation.
In March, footage from that 2023 incident leaked online. The video shows Taylor physically assaulting Dakota and throwing chairs at him in front of her daughter. For context, Taylor shares daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, with ex-husband Tate Paul, and son Ever, 2, with Dakota.
There was also a separate police investigation in Utah into additional alleged altercations, including an alleged domestic violence incident in February. A judge issued protective orders, gave Dakota temporary sole custody of Ever until a future hearing, and granted Taylor supervised visitation until that hearing. Local authorities declined to file charges against Taylor related to the alleged February incident.
Could ABC still air the season?
"Everything with that is one day at a time," Disney executive Rob Mills said late last month, adding that the first priority when this all blew up was Taylor and her family on a human level.
Translation: the door is not locked, but nobody is reaching for the handle yet.
The quick timeline
- Feb 2023 - Taylor is arrested after a domestic incident with then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen.
- She later pleads guilty to one count of aggravated assault, other child abuse charges are dismissed, and she is placed on probation.
- March - ABC pulls Season 22 a few days before its planned March 22 premiere after the 2023 arrest footage resurfaces online.
- March - Leaked video shows Taylor assaulting Dakota and throwing chairs in front of her daughter.
- February - Separate alleged altercations prompt a Utah police investigation; a judge grants protective orders, gives Dakota temporary sole custody of their son Ever, and gives Taylor supervised visitation. No charges are filed over the alleged February incident.
- Late last month - Disney's Rob Mills says the show's future is still being evaluated.
- May 2 - Jesse Palmer gets the "release Taylor's Bachelorette" shout at a festival, chuckles, and keeps it cute.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.