Taylor Frankie Paul’s Ex Dakota Mortensen Cut From Vanderpump Villa

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Dakota Mortensen‘s time in paradise won’t make it to the small screen.

Before the new season of Vanderpump Villa starts, an episode planned to include cast members from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives will no longer feature Taylor Frankie Paul’s former boyfriend. According to TopMob News, Dakota’s part has been removed from the episode, which will be available on Hulu starting April 16th.

TopMob News has contacted Dakota’s lawyer but hasn’t received a response yet. Hulu hasn’t made any public statement about Dakota’s departure.

Lisa Vanderpump, an executive producer of Vanderpump Villa, recently told People magazine that Dakota didn’t play a major role in the show’s plot, and removing him hasn’t changed the overall story.

The upcoming crossover between Vanderpump Villa and Mormon Wives is expected to be dramatic. The group known as “Dad Tok” – including Dakota, Jordan Ngatikaura, Chase McWhorter, Mason McWhorter, Zac Affleck, and Jacob Neeley – recently enjoyed a party at Lisa’s luxurious home in England.

On the latest season of Secret Lives, Jordan revealed to Jessi Draper, Mayci Neeley, Mikayla Matthews, and Layla Taylor that Dakota had definitely cheated on her with another woman while they were all staying at the villa.

Taylor had an unsteady relationship with Dakota between 2022 and 2024, and they were no longer together when this trip happened. After Jordan and Jessi told her what had happened, she decided it was time to accept the breakup and move forward.

She revealed in a private interview that she and Dakota broke up a few months ago. However, he still strongly desires a family and clearly cares for her and their child. She admits she still had feelings for him, which makes the situation very confusing and frustrating. Ultimately, she acknowledges that he’s simply being himself.

News of the confirmation arrived almost three weeks after filming for season five of Mormon Wives stopped. The halt followed a reported argument between Taylor and Dakota, who are parents to a 2-year-old child.

TMZ released a video two days later showing a 2023 argument between the former couple. The video showed Taylor hitting Dakota with a chair, and unintentionally also hitting Dakota’s five-year-old daughter, who shares a father with Taylor’s ex-husband, Tate Paul.

After the recent news, Taylor’s season of The Bachelorette was canceled only three days before it was supposed to air. Her representative explained the decision to cancel the dating show as Taylor, 31, deals with ongoing legal issues with her former partner.

Taylor’s team announced on March 19th that she appreciates the support of ABC as she focuses on keeping her family safe. They stated that after years of secretly enduring significant mental and physical abuse and facing threats, Taylor is now finding the courage to confront her abuser and is taking action to protect herself and her children from future harm.

For Dakota’s part, he shared his own statement following the domestic violence allegations.

He said in a statement to TopMob News that the video was very disturbing, and that he was sadly familiar with false accusations about him and their relationship, which he strongly refuted.

For a closer look at the allegations between Taylor and Dakota, keep reading.

Taylor is thankful for the support she’s receiving from ABC as she focuses on keeping her family safe, her team said in a statement on March 19th. After years of privately enduring significant mental and physical abuse and fearing repercussions, Taylor is now finding the courage to confront her abuser and is taking action to protect herself and her children from future harm.

For Dakota’s part, he shared his own statement following the domestic violence allegations.

He said in a statement to TopMob News that the video was deeply disturbing, and that he was sadly familiar with false accusations about him and his relationship, all of which he strongly denies.

For a closer look at the allegations between Taylor and Dakota, keep reading.

Taylor Frankie Paul, who gained popularity on TikTok as #MomTok, was arrested in Utah on February 17, 2023, following an altercation with her boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. According to court documents obtained by ABC 4 Utah, she allegedly threw metal chairs and a wooden playset at him while one of her children was present. She shares these children with her former husband, Tate Paul.

Court records show Taylor faces several charges, including aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence that injured a child, simple child abuse, and criminal mischief. The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office released the documents, which were reviewed by TopMob News.

I’ve been following this case closely, and according to the police report, when the officer arrived, Dakota told him he’d been arguing with his girlfriend. He said that he tried to leave, but she actually started hitting him during the fight. It’s all detailed in the official court documents, so it’s pretty straightforward what happened.

In August 2023, Taylor admitted guilt to a serious assault charge, as shown in court records obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune. Four other charges against them were dropped and cannot be filed again.

For three years, the charges against her were put on hold. If Taylor followed the conditions of her agreement, the case would then be filed as a minor offense, according to court records.

As part of her agreement, Taylor was required to undergo assessments for substance abuse and domestic violence, and complete any treatment recommended for the next three years. She also had to avoid breaking any major laws.

Taylor and Dakota welcomed their son a week ahead of schedule. On April 4, 2024, Taylor shared a photo from the hospital on Instagram, expressing their joy and writing, ‘These past two weeks with him have been wonderful. We all love him so much and are grateful he’s brought our families together.’

Taylor told TopMob News that the fight with Dakota was definitely their lowest point.

She explained that he supported her because he understood what was really happening, even the things no one else knew. “It was a terrible night, and I really regret how things went,” she said. Dakota, having gone through difficult times himself, truly empathized with her. He told her, ‘I want to help you get through this.’

As for the confrontation itself, she later said the incident had been building up. 

She revealed on the Viall Files podcast in September 2024 that she’d experienced an ectopic pregnancy a few months earlier, followed by a chemical pregnancy. While hesitant to attribute it solely to hormonal imbalances, she acknowledged that her hormones were likely playing a role in how she was feeling.

Taylor explained that she felt confused and upset after what happened, leading her to drink. Dakota arrived and was upset with her for doing so.

I recall throwing objects, and I didn’t recognize my daughters who were on the couch. We had babysitters with us, so I believe they were upstairs asleep. Apparently, Dakota tried to tell me my five-year-old daughter was there too, but I was so out of it that I didn’t even care, and I threw another chair.

The first episode of the Hulu series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which premiered in September 2024, showed Taylor’s arrest that occurred in 2023.

Taylor publicly announced her breakup with Dakota in May 2025. The news came after the premiere of season two of SLOMW revealed Dakota had been unfaithful shortly after their son was born. Taylor shared the news on TikTok, stating, “Dakota isn’t mine anymore, wish him the best.”

We were living together and so happy with our new baby, and I was starting to think about getting engaged,” she shared. “Then I found out he’d been lying to me the whole time.

In a fourth season episode of SLOMW, Dakota confessed to having an affair with a friend, Shinia Powell. During a FaceTime conversation with Taylor, Dakota acknowledged their mistake, saying, “It was a bad decision, and I could have chosen someone else. The person I chose was the problem – I knew this situation would be complicated and it was wrong of me to put everyone through it.”

Taylor will be the next Bachelorette for season 22, she announced on the Call Her Daddy podcast in September 2025. This is a bit of a change for the show, which typically chooses leads from past seasons of The Bachelor.

You know, I’ve been following Taylor’s journey closely, and I was so struck by something she said recently. She feels like this new phase in her life is a gift, a chance for a fresh start and a whole new chapter. It’s really inspiring to see her embrace change with such optimism!

Taylor shared that she’s faced criticism, judgment, and rejection, but believes those who truly get to know her will see she’s sincere, has good intentions, and deserves another opportunity at love.

Just before Taylor started filming season 22 of The Bachelorette, a conversation she had with Dakota aired on season four of SLOMW. During that conversation, Dakota apologized for his relationship with Shinia, admitting it was a mistake and that he’d acted poorly.

He explained that both he and Taylor had caused each other pain, but he still thought they loved each other deeply.

The couple acknowledged their relationship was unhealthy, and Taylor believed appearing on The Bachelorette would ultimately be beneficial for both of them, no matter the outcome. She felt it would provide a much-needed opportunity for them to separate and begin to heal.

Dakota let Taylor know he still had feelings for her, saying he was glad she was happy and supportive of her finding someone new. However, he playfully asked her to keep him in mind, saying, “Just save a rose for me, okay?”

Production on season five of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stopped in February 2026 following a reported disagreement between Taylor and Dakota.

On March 16, a representative from the Draper City Police Department told People magazine they were investigating reports of domestic assault involving Taylor and Dakota. The police stated that both individuals have accused each other. They confirmed officers spoke with those involved on February 24th and 25th, but wouldn’t release further details because the investigation is still active.

According to a source at TopMob News, Taylor is taking responsibility for her actions and is primarily focused on shielding her son, Ever, from negative press or anything that might reflect poorly on his father. She wants Ever to have a positive view of his father.

After Taylor and Dakota had a disagreement in 2026, TMZ released video of a physical fight between them that originally happened in 2023.

The video shows Dakota filming a confrontation while Taylor shouts at him and tries to hit him, even briefly putting him in a headlock.

“Look,” Dakota can be heard saying, “this is called physical abuse.”

As things escalated, he told her their daughter was there, just as Taylor started throwing metal barstools at him. Taylor claimed Dakota pushed her to the ground before he started filming, and he responded by blaming her and asking for help with their 5-year-old child. She later shouted at him to stay away from her daughter.

According to a police report obtained by TopMob News in 2023, the child was struck by a stool.

Following the video’s release, a representative for Taylor stated to TopMob News that it was part of an effort to damage her reputation. They said the video selectively presented information and was intended to shift attention away from Dakota’s behavior. Dakota, however, dismissed Taylor’s accusations as untrue.

Following the release of video showing a 2023 incident involving Taylor and Dakota, ABC announced it was cancelling season 22 of The Bachelorette. A Disney Entertainment spokesperson told TopMob News, “We’ve decided not to proceed with the new season right now, and our priority is supporting the family involved.”

Following ABC’s decision, Taylor broke her silence about the situation. 

Taylor appreciates the support she’s receiving from ABC as she focuses on keeping her family safe. According to her representative, she’s been privately dealing with significant mental and physical abuse and threats for years, but is now finding the courage to confront her abuser and protect herself and her children from future harm.

The statement highlighted that many women are silently struggling with abusive ex-partners who won’t allow them to rebuild their lives.

Taylor’s team said she is considering her next steps, getting support, and will eventually talk publicly about what happened.

Dakota addressed claims of domestic violence involving him and Taylor, stating in a March 19th interview with TopMob News that the situation, as seen in a video, was “deeply upsetting.”

He stated he was sadly accustomed to false accusations regarding himself and their relationship, and firmly denied them all.

Dakota said her priority is her son, Ever, and his well-being, and she hopes Taylor will prioritize Ever’s safety as well.

According to documents obtained by People magazine on March 20th, Dakota has been granted temporary custody of Ever after filing a protective order against Taylor. While a hearing is scheduled for April 7th where Taylor will have the opportunity to present her perspective, the current order prevents either parent from spending time with Ever until then.

Utah police are investigating a new claim of domestic violence from 2024 that Dakota reported in February, according to a West Jordan Police Department spokesperson who spoke with NBC News on March 24th. Investigators have contacted Taylor’s lawyer but haven’t yet spoken with Taylor herself. They are hoping she will provide a statement or agree to an interview to confirm the details of Dakota’s report.

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2026-04-03 23:20