Taylor Frankie Paul is returning to “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” for its sixth season, resuming production after her absence from the back half of Season 5 following a domestic violence investigation involving her ex, Dakota Mortensen.
Season 6 is currently filming, with most of the cast recently spotted in Utah and on the show’s first international cast trip to Milan. Paul was not seen during those shoots, and it remains unclear whether she will appear as a full-time cast member or in a more limited role this season. She and her castmates serve as executive producers on the Hulu series.
Paul’s absence from the second half of Season 5 followed production’s decision to halt filming after two Utah police departments opened investigations connected to an alleged incident involving her and Mortensen, the father of her children. That truncated season ultimately ran five episodes instead of the ten originally planned, with Paul appearing only in the opening title sequence rather than in confessional interviews. The season closed on a cliffhanger revealing that Mortensen had contacted Child Protective Services regarding Paul, a detail that predates the separate leak of video footage that led ABC to pull her since-shelved season of “The Bachelorette” from air in March.
A source close to the production told Page Six that Paul’s return carries the full support of ABC and Disney, describing an open line of communication between the network and Paul throughout the process. ABC has not announced what, if anything, will happen with her canceled “Bachelorette” season.
Season 6 arrives with other changes to the MomTok lineup. Original cast member Whitney Leavitt has confirmed she will not return after Season 5, describing her exit in a recent interview as one made with gratitude rather than the frustration that accompanied her earlier departures from the group. Hulu has ordered 20 combined episodes covering Seasons 6 and 7, with the rest of the core cast, including Jessi Draper, Layla Taylor, Mayci Neeley, Mikayla Matthews and Miranda Hope, expected to return.
Season 5 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” is now streaming on Hulu.
