Taylor Frankie Paul says she is stepping away from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, accusing fellow cast members of bullying and alleging that some mocked her children amid a public dispute over her proposed return to the Hulu reality series.
The 32-year-old reality star addressed the controversy in an Instagram statement on Monday, 21 September 2026, after reports indicated that she was expected to rejoin the programme for its sixth season.
Paul alleged that several castmates had turned against her despite knowing about her personal and legal difficulties. Her announcement followed Mikayla Matthews' decision to leave the series over objections to Paul's return.
The competing statements have brought renewed attention to disagreements within the cast, although Hulu has not publicly confirmed Paul's final contractual status.
Paul Alleges Castmates Bullied Her and Mocked Her Children
In her Instagram statement, Paul thanked the networks that had supported her and offered her an opportunity to return to television. However, she said she no longer wanted to continue with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives under the circumstances surrounding her proposed comeback.
Paul claimed she had previously been willing to leave the programme so her fellow cast members could continue filming without further tension. She alleged that several women who were aware of her personal difficulties had subsequently participated in public criticism of her.
Paul also accused some castmates of laughing about her children, describing the alleged behaviour as 'disgusting'. The allegation reflects Paul's account. The reporting reviewed does not independently establish that cast members mocked her children or identify which individuals were allegedly involved.
Paul shares two-year-old son Ever with former partner Dakota Mortensen. She also shares daughter Indy, nine, and son Ocean, six, with former husband Tate Paul. She indicated that the combination of her legal difficulties and the criticism she said she had received had taken an emotional toll.
While acknowledging that some public criticism related to her own actions, Paul questioned how much further scrutiny she should face. Her statement concluded with an expression of relief about her decision to step away.
The Proposed Return Crossed a Moral Line
Paul's announcement came after Matthews said she was leaving The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives while its sixth season was in production.
Matthews said she had agreed to participate on the understanding that Paul would not return. Matthews claimed she subsequently learned that Paul was expected to rejoin the programme after filming had already begun.
She described the situation as an ethical concern involving children and said she could not continue participating under those circumstances. Matthews referred to experiences and information that had informed her decision, although her public statement did not independently establish every allegation underlying her objections.
She has previously discussed growing up in a household affected by abuse, providing context for the concerns she expressed. Matthews said she remained contractually obligated to complete certain interviews relating to material already filmed but would not continue working on the series.
Her explanation differs from Paul's account of the dispute. Neither woman's public statement, on its own, establishes misconduct by the other or by additional cast members.
Paul's 2023 Criminal Case
The cast disagreement has unfolded against the backdrop of legal proceedings involving Paul and her former partners.
In a separate criminal case stemming from a February 2023 domestic incident involving Mortensen, Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. That case should not be confused with the allegations investigated in 2026.
In March 2026, production on the fifth season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was temporarily halted amid a police investigation into domestic-assault allegations involving Paul and Mortensen. Both parties made allegations against each other. Three-year protective orders were subsequently issued in April.
Footage of the 2023 altercation also resurfaced earlier in 2026, prompting renewed public scrutiny of Paul's past conduct. Following the video's publication, ABC announced it would not proceed with Paul's season of The Bachelorette, which was scheduled to premiere shortly afterwards.
The cancellation created uncertainty about her television career ahead of the latest disagreement with her Mormon Wives colleagues.
Castmates Pressure Over Salary Negotiations
Paul also raised allegations concerning discussions about cast members' pay.
In her statement, she claimed unnamed colleagues had encouraged her to take the lead in seeking higher salaries because they believed her position could influence negotiations. Paul said she ultimately declined to follow through with those alleged requests.
She characterised her decision as an attempt to maintain fairness and integrity, adding that she had continued receiving the same pay. The claims about salary discussions have not been independently corroborated in the reporting reviewed and remain Paul's account of the negotiations.
Paul also defended her relationship with the programme's production team, saying crew members had checked on her welfare during her legal difficulties. Her comments distinguished her experiences with production staff from the conduct she alleged among certain fellow cast members.
What Happens to 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives'?
The fifth season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered on Hulu on 10 September 2026.
The reality series, which launched in 2024, follows Utah-based influencers associated with the online MomTok community as they navigate relationships, family life and public attention. Its sixth season was already filming by early August 2026 without Paul, although subsequent reports indicated that she was expected to return.
Paul's latest statement indicates that she no longer wishes to continue. However, Hulu has not publicly confirmed her final contractual status or clarified whether her departure has been formally completed.
Matthews' departure adds to other changes affecting the cast. Whitney Leavitt previously announced that the fifth season would be her last, while Jen Affleck has been linked to the franchise's Orange County spin-off.
Mayci Neeley and Layla Taylor have also expressed uncertainty about their futures on the programme. Paul's allegations and Matthews' objections present competing accounts of the disagreement surrounding her proposed return.
For now, the final composition of the sixth-season cast remains uncertain as the participants continue to address their differences publicly.
