The domestic violence scandal involving Dakota Mortensen’s ex Taylor Frankie Paul won’t derail his reality TV career — because he’s starring in Alex Cooper’s new reality series alongside Mormon Wives alum Demi Engeman.
Cooper’s Unwell Network announced Monday that a new four-episode series, “Unwell Winter Games,” will premiere next week on YouTube.
The show features 16 contestants who complete multiple mental and physical challenges over four days in a luxury chalet in Park City, Utah.
Two of the contestants are Mortensen and Engeman, and the cast also includes Huda Mustafa from Love Island and Anna Delvey, the notorious “fake heiress” who was convicted in 2022 of defrauding Manhattan’s elite.
Mortensen’s involvement with the show has been controversial, considering Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was quickly canceled after TMZ released a video of the ex-girlfriends’ argument in 2023.
The disturbing video shows Paul throwing a metal chair at Mortensen, while his 8-year-old daughter Indy, then 5, can be heard crying nearby.
Mortensen is also being investigated in a February domestic violence incident involving Paul, and faces charges of “both parties.”
Fans took to social media to criticize what some saw as a double standard in Paul’s treatment compared to Mortensen.
Another commented: “Oh, Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette has been canceled but Dakota is going to be on the TV show LMAOOOOOOOO.”
“They canceled ‘The Bachelorette,’ so they should cancel it…” another commented.
One user wrote, “I don’t want to see Dakota anywhere. He is an abusive partner who keeps videos of children being harmed and uses them against their mothers when it benefits him. He is a bastard (sic) and should not be rewarded.”
Meanwhile, there is no love lost between Paul and Engeman. Engeman abruptly left Season 4 of SLOMW amid drama with the cast, particularly Jesse Draper.
Engeman also appeared to slam Paul after her season of The Bachelorette was canceled, posting on her Instagram Story, “Bills are paid. My husband is fine. Our marriage is strong. Our kids are happy and healthy. I feel so rich.”
“My version of peace that no one can destroy, no matter how hard they try,” she added with two emojis. “The best revenge is to live well. I will die on that hill forever.”
She has since deleted the post, but a source told Page Six that Engeman’s post was actually related to something she shared on her Disgraceful podcast the day before, and was not a criticism of Paul.
Cooper’s decision to feature Mortensen and Engemann is also interesting considering she gave both Paul and Draper a huge platform in the past by interviewing them on “Call Her Daddy.”
Paul announced the season of “The Bachelorette” on Cooper’s podcast in September 2025, and spoke candidly about Mortensen during that episode.
Just last week, Draper appeared on “Call Her Daddy” and bashed Mortensen. Draper speculated that Mortensen “definitely” leaked cell phone footage of his 2023 match with Paul, which resulted in the cancellation of The Bachelorette season.
Draper quipped about Paul: “She’s not just running to TMZ and leaking stories. I think that’s the right way to do it.”
