Taylor Frankie Paul leaves the Mormon Church.
The star of Season 22 of “Mormon Wives” and “The Bachelorette,” which ABC canceled amid ex-girlfriend Dakota Mortensen’s domestic scandal, shared personal news on Easter Sunday.
“The last 40 days have been hell on earth. With each panic attack, I prayed for strength as I felt my body collapse and snap out of all the pain,” Paul wrote in an Instagram caption. In addition to the start of Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter coincided with the incident between her and Mortensen that halted production on Season 5 of Mormon Wives and started the scandal that led to the cancellation of The Bachelorette. Specific details about the late February incident have not been made public, but police investigated allegations of domestic violence made by both parties against each other.
The caption was posted under a video that stitched together various images of Paul taking notes about the Bible, texting people about his faith, and dealing with physical symptoms of stress. Paul continued, “And God has sent that very thing in so many different ways, with so many undeniable signs that say, ‘I am with you,’ and I can’t wait to share that part, even though I’ve been praying since I was little.” , I never swerved because I believe in asking for help, especially when I’m at my lowest. But instead of just asking, I switched to thanking God at the end of each day, no matter how low I felt.”
And on his Instagram Story, Paul addressed his religious affiliation more directly. Although she remains a Christian, she is no longer a Mormon.
“I was born and raised a Mormon, and I have always had love and respect for them. I will continue to attend with my family from time to time, but the time has come for me to distance myself from them,” Paul wrote. “I’m a strong believer in Christ, God, the Bible, and the sacred. I believe that whether we’re praying in a church building or praying from the bathroom floor at home, we are loved. I’ve also experienced grace and love from amazing people who don’t even know what they believe, and that’s okay. There’s a lot to learn out there. And I’m writing this as a release.”
In late February, days after news broke that Mormon Housewives was taken off the air due to an incident between Paul and Mortensen, TMZ released footage of a 2023 domestic incident that showed Paul throwing a metal chair at Mortensen while one of his children from a previous marriage was nearby. Although the footage was new, the incident was widely known and discussed on season 1 of “Mormon Wives.” Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to probation. Still, Disney canceled Paul’s season of The Bachelorette in the wake of the leaked video, saying the company was “focused on supporting the family,” and a spokesperson for Paul later said, “After years of silently enduring extensive emotional and physical abuse and threats of retaliation, Taylor has finally gained the strength to confront her accusers and is taking steps to ensure she and her children are protected from further harm.” Shortly after, Mortensen was granted a temporary restraining order against Paul and temporary custody of his son. Mortensen also claims a third domestic violence incident occurred in 2024. A hearing on Mortensen’s restraining order and their claims is scheduled for Tuesday.
