Taylor Frankie Paul’s Post-Cancellation Flirtation With Bachelorette Contestant Turns Heads
With The Bachelorette season 22 shelved, Taylor Frankie Paul still stirred the pot—dropping a flirty comment on contestant Doug Mason’s Instagram after he shared a croon to his baby girl set to the unlikely star of a parking-lot duck.
ABC shelved The Bachelorette season 22, and the ripple effects are still popping up in weird little ways — including a flirty duck joke in the Instagram comments. Yes, a duck. Stay with me.
The duck video, the song, and the eyebrow-raising comment
On Monday, March 30, contestant Doug Mason, 28, posted a clip of a new song on Instagram — he croons to his 'baby girl' while a duck wanders around a parking lot. It ’s a vibe. Taylor Frankie Paul dropped in with a cheeky: 'Awe I see what you did here 🦆.'
Fans immediately started wondering if there was some hidden joke between the two. Doug played coy, answering with a 'hands over ears' emoji and an 'I don’t know' emoji. Make of that what you will.
Why the season disappeared
ABC pulled The Bachelorette earlier this month after a newly surfaced video related to Taylor’s 2023 domestic violence arrest hit the internet, alongside word that she and ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen were under investigation for separate allegations from February. Since then, Utah’s West Jordan Police Department has opened a third investigation tied to an alleged 2024 incident involving Taylor. None of that is light reading, and the network pressed pause.
'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. '
That’s ABC’s lone public statement, posted March 19.
Doug backs Taylor, and fans rally around him
In the middle of the fallout, Doug publicly supported Taylor. On March 20, he wrote on Instagram that he was sending prayers because 'that was her moment and her moment was blocked,' adding that for now he was going to go run and watch the sunrise. He urged everyone to stay positive and support people in need.
A Secret Lives of Mormon Wives fan reshared Doug’s post, and Taylor responded in the comments: 'Aw my heart goes out to him. So sweet.' That, plus the duck banter, only amped up the speculation around both of them.
Meanwhile, viewers started campaigning for Doug to become a future Bachelor. He didn’t exactly shut it down, replying: 'Let’s goooo.'
So what happens to all those guys now?
The season may be in a vault, but the cast won’t be totally invisible. Rachel Recchia and Charity Lawson will start introducing fans to Taylor’s would-be contestants on the official 'Bachelor Happy Hour' podcast. Charity teed it up on Friday, March 27:
'Bachelor Happy Hour' will be the only place that you are gonna hear directly from the men of Taylor’s cast.
As for a replacement lead? As of Tuesday, March 24, Us Weekly reported that ABC isn’t planning to swap in a new Bachelorette right now. Producers were reportedly eyeing potential Bachelor contenders from this scrapped group before the season got pulled, but there’s no decision yet on whether one of Taylor’s suitors could front the next cycle.
Taylor’s camp responds
After ABC halted the season, Taylor’s spokesperson thanked the network for standing by her while she prioritizes her family’s safety. The rep said she had long endured abuse and threats and is now working to confront her accuser and protect herself and her children.
'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.'
Where things stand now
- March 19: ABC cancels plans to air The Bachelorette season 22 following a newly surfaced video tied to Taylor’s 2023 arrest.
- Investigations: Authorities looked into separate allegations from February involving Taylor and ex Dakota Mortensen; West Jordan Police later opened a third investigation connected to an alleged 2024 incident.
- March 20: Doug publicly supports Taylor on Instagram.
- March 27: Charity Lawson says 'Bachelor Happy Hour' will introduce Taylor’s cast.
- March 24: Us Weekly reports ABC has no current plan to name a new Bachelorette; producers had been considering potential future Bachelor leads from the season’s cast.
- March 30: Doug posts the duck video/song; Taylor drops the flirty comment; Doug replies with coy emojis.
It’s a strange situation: a whole season sidelined, the cast trickling out via podcast, and one maybe-flirty exchange over a parking-lot duck stealing the spotlight. Welcome to 2026 dating TV, I guess.