The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

Taylor Frankie Paul's attempt to shut the public out of her legal war with Dakota Mortensen just got rejected in court.

On Monday, a judge denied Taylor's request to seal Thursday's upcoming protective order hearing and keep the media out ... making it clear her case will be treated like any other case -- despite the massive public attention surrounding the former couple.

During Monday's status conference, Taylor's attorney, Eric Swinyard, argued the hearing set for Thursday will be far more substantive than previous proceedings and will dive into serious allegations made by both sides.

It's been a wild couple of weeks for Taylor Frankie Paul ... and she's taking a step back for herself by ditching social media.

Here's the deal ... TFP's Instagram and TikTok were deleted on Wednesday ... and fans were left asking, WTF is going on, girl?!

A source close to Taylor tells TMZ ... everything is fine -- she's just taking a break from the apps amid the wild news cycle she's been starring in.

Bobbi Althoff's cringe comedy has propelled her into reality TV ... because she's landed a role on the upcoming 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' spinoff.

According to reports ... Hulu has officially ordered "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County" -- and Althoff's one of the big names involved.

The show is set to premiere later this year ... and will follow a group of lifestyle influencers -- most of them parents -- as they navigate #MomTok.

Taylor Frankie Paul was not booked for "Dancing With the Stars," despite reports ... and now we know what is likely causing the confusion.

A source close to 'DWTS' tells TMZ ... "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" and 'Bachelorette' star was involved with the dance competition show -- but what she did is being blown out of proportion.

From what we're told ... on her season of "The Bachelorette" -- which was shelved -- one date was a crossover with 'DWTS' ... and it seems that ballroom scene is being conflated into something more.

Taylor Frankie Paul will return for "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" at some point ... however, her main focus remains her family and kids, TMZ has learned.

Production sources tell TMZ ... Taylor's priority remains her kids and family, but she is not completely cutting off ties with the show, as we're told she will film at some point.

Our sources tell us cameras will go up nearly immediately ... even as early as this week, and the entire cast and production crews are supportive of Taylor returning to the hit Hulu show when she's ready.

Dakota Mortensen is not returning to "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" when cameras pick back up following the show's unexpected pause last month over serious physical altercations that occured between him and Taylor Frankie Paul.

According to a report, Dakota -- who shares a 2-year-old son, Ever, with Taylor -- will not be filming after TMZ revealed Hulu plans to start up production again following the month-long break. We also told you Taylor plans to return to the show when she is ready.

We were all over Hulu's pause on production -- we learned Dakota and Taylor got into back-to-back physical blow-ups during a weekend in February, during which Taylor allegedly choked him and scratched his neck. The Draper Police Department in Utah confirmed they were investigating a domestic assault resulting from the incident.

We then learned Dakota also went to the West Jordan Police Department in Utah in February accusing Taylor of abusing him during a 2024 dispute.

'Mormon Wives' producers are firing back at "Vanderpump Villa" star Marciano Brunette’s claim that paperwork doesn't bar him from suing them ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, Jeff Jenkins Productions -- the company behind the Hulu reality show -- said Marciano's lawsuit should be thrown out.

As TMZ previously reported, Marciano sued 'Mormon Wives' cast member Demi Engemann and Jeff Jenkins for defamation. Marciano claimed he consensually hooked up with Demi ... only for her to make it appear he sexually assaulted her afterward.

Marciano decided to shoot for 'Mormon Wives' after being asked by his friend/cast member Chase McWhorter, months after he filed his suit. He said he was asked to sign a release after the shoot, which he says he believed was for payment ... but turned out to be an agreement that prohibited him from suing the producers.

"The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" is set to pick cameras back up following an unexpected pause involving Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen, TMZ has learned.

Production sources tell TMZ ... the Hulu series is going back into production soon, after being put on pause mid March of this year -- following a heated blow up between TFP and Mortensen during filming of season 5.

Our sources were not clear on whether TFP or Mortensen will be a part of filming with the rest of the cast when cameras go back up.

We broke the story ... cameras had gone down suddenly due to a recent alleged domestic violence incident. We then learned Mortensen went to cops in West Jordan, Utah with a third allegation of domestic violence against Taylor -- the alleged incident is said to have taken place in early to mid-2024.

Taylor Frankie Paul just announced she’s been living with PTSD ... for years.

"The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star took to her Instagram stories Sunday with a message “for all those that assumed diagnoses” … declaring she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder two years ago.

Taylor writes that she was diagnosed “by more than one therapist” … and muses that it might even be considered Complex PTSD. 

Dakota Mortensen is speaking out after his ex-girlfriend, Taylor Frankie Paul, escaped prosecution in their domestic violence cases, saying his sole focus is on the well-being of their young son while also taking some accountability. 

Dakota posted an essay on Instagram early Monday morning after prosecutors in Utah announced last week Taylor would not face criminal charges following several of the former couple's domestic violence incidents from February of this year. Prosecutors indicated it would be tough to prove the cases beyond a reasonable doubt.  

In his IG post, Dakota said he's recently taken a step back from all the drama -- while trying to create a stable environment for the 2-year-old son he shares with Taylor. Taylor temporarily lost custody of their son after Dakota filed a temporary protective order against her.

Dakota also wrote that he's not perfect and takes accountability for what happened between him and Taylor, apologizing for his role in the whole ordeal.

Looks like sparks might be flying between Marciano Brunette and Jessi Draper … ’cause the two were getting real comfortable during a night out in Nashville.

Sources tell us the pair were posted up near the bar at Red Door Saloon in Midtown late Saturday night, rolling deep with a group -- but clearly locked in on each other. We’re told Marciano and Jessi were hugging, laughing, and staying close -- with the vibe reading more date night than just a friendly hang.

Eyewitnesses say things didn’t cross into full-on make-out territory, but Marciano did plant a kiss on Jessi’s cheek -- and the chemistry wasn’t exactly subtle.

Troubling 911 audio and a follow-up complaint are shedding light on a chaotic and emotional situation involving "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" star Taylor Frankie Paul and her on-again, off-again partner Dakota Mortensen.

In 911 audio obtained by TMZ, you can hear a tense exchange unfolding in real time during a call placed on February 22 of this year ... with a child wailing and crying in the background.

At one point, Dakota is heard saying, “I told you,” while Taylor can be heard speaking in the background ... though much of what she says is unclear, aside from a phrase ending in “to me" as the dispatcher is actively trying to assess the situation while Taylor repeatedly pleads -- saying “please” several times.

Moments later, Dakota gets on the line and explains he’s calling because his son “isn’t doing good” and he wants advice on what to do. He tells the dispatcher the child had thrown up but appears to be okay now, adding that they plan to take him in themselves. When the dispatcher offers to send help, Dakota declines and the call ends shortly afterward.

Dakota Mortensen had sex on the brain after a violent fight with Taylor Frankie Paul ... he asked her if she wanted to bang, but she shut him down hard ... and it's all laid out in text messages.

TMZ obtained the messages Taylor and Dakota sent each other in the wake of their February 2026 altercation, and the conversation includes Dakota texting Taylor, "You don't wanna f***?"

Taylor reacts with a clown emoji and then replies, "f***? My nose won't stop sushing blood The f*** is wrong with you."

Dakota Mortensen was visited by cops a few weeks after the February 2026 incident with Taylor Frankie Paul ... and body cam video shows the aftermath of what was described as a very chaotic scene.

In the video obtained by TMZ, officers with the Draper Police Department begin to search Dakota's truck as he appears calm -- yet clearly shaken -- while he walks them through the damage to his truck.

In the video, Mortensen points out visible dents and scratches along the driver's door of the vehicle, explaining what allegedly happened during the incident ... all while cradling their young son Ever, who the reality couple is currently battling for custody over.

It looks like Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen really beat the crap out of each other ... at least based on a bunch of photos he took documenting his alleged injuries.

TMZ obtained a slew of snaps showing a bruised and bloodied TFP and Dakota ... the images are included in court filings in Utah.

In one photo, Dakota's got a bunch of blood pooled under his nostrils. In others, he's got scratches and redness on his neck. More photos show bruising by his knee and a red mark on his eye socket.

In photos of TFP, she's got bruising on her forehead as well as on her neck area and arms.

Taylor Frankie Paul had a major legal victory yesterday that just might result in "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" production resuming ... and the reality TV star wants back on the popular Hulu series.

TMZ broke the news ... TFP will NOT be prosecuted for her alleged involvement in a couple of domestic violence incidents in Utah involving her ex, Dakota Mortensen. This is a big deal since it was those accusations -- and footage from a prior incident we reported -- which torpedoed her two shows, "The Bachelorette" being the other.

An insider with direct knowledge tells TMZ … yesterday was a major development ... and is a big step in 'SLOMW' maybe resuming production. But there are still some matters that need to be attended to -- such as the findings of the third-party investigation. It’s unclear at the moment where that process is at.