ABC cancels ‘Bachelorette’ with contestant tied to former Rep. Cawthorn of NC
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- ABC canceled the new season of “The Bachelorette” over a video of Taylor Frankie Paul.
- The show was set to feature contestant Brad Ledford, who was tied to a former congressman.
- Ledford reportedly crashed a car, leaving Madison Cawthorn of NC partially paralyzed.
The latest season of “The Bachelorette” — which was set to feature a contestant with ties to a former U.S. congressman from North Carolina — has been canceled.
Nearly two dozen men were going to compete for the chance to win the heart of Taylor Frankie Paul, who starred on the Hulu reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” But recently, a video shared with TMZ showed Paul attacking someone in an alleged domestic violence incident, leading ABC to cancel the season before its planned premiere on Sunday, March 22.
“We have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson said in a statement, according to ABC News.
Brad Ledford, who was set to compete on the show, was behind the wheel of a 2014 crash that left his friend and former Rep. Madison Cawthorn partially paralyzed.
FULL STORY: ‘Bachelorette’ contestant tied to former US Rep. Madison Cawthorn of NC: Report
Here are key takeaways:
• Ledford was driving a car that careened into a concrete barricade and burst into flames while the two friends were traveling through Florida in 2014, according to The U.S. Sun.
• Cawthorn said he was left at the scene to die, but Ledford has disputed that, saying he pulled his friend from the burning car, according to People.
• Cawthorn, who uses a wheelchair after the crash, served one term in Congress representing North Carolina’s 11th district from 2021 to 2023. He announced plans last year to run for a congressional seat in Florida.
• Cawthorn has filed lawsuits against Ledford over the years.
• Ledford is described as an entrepreneur and “California cowboy” who enjoys spending time with his horse, Gus, and is working toward becoming a licensed pilot, according to the show’s website and Today.
A production company believed to be working on “The Bachelorette” didn’t immediately share additional details with The News & Observer on Tuesday, March 24.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at the top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
