Taylor and Dakota Allowed Back on 'Mormon Wives' Amid Restraining Orders—'They Must Film Separately'

The chaos surrounding 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' is no longer confined to TikTok scandals and reality television drama. The show is now navigating allegations of domestic violence, competing restraining orders and a fractured relationship playing out both in court and in front of cameras.

Even so, producers are not shutting the door on either Taylor Frankie Paul or Dakota Mortensen.

Executive producer Jeff Jenkins confirmed this week that both reality stars remain welcome to return to the Hulu series despite the legal restrictions currently preventing them from interacting directly.

According to various reports, the situation leaves producers attempting to salvage one of streaming television's breakout reality hits while balancing a deeply volatile off-screen dispute.

Production Wants Both Stars Back

Speaking to Variety, Jenkins said he remains eager to continue filming with Paul, who became the defining figure of the series after her highly publicised 'soft swinging' scandal helped catapult the Mormon influencer world into mainstream attention.

'I've talked to Taylor, and she wants to come back, and I want her to come back,' Jenkins said.

He compared Paul to reality television figures such as Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, arguing she possesses the rare instinct required to carry unscripted television successfully.

'She's just made for this,' Jenkins said. 'To share her life on camera, she does it like breathing air. She doesn't edit herself.'

Paul's willingness to expose painful and chaotic parts of her personal life has become central to the programme's appeal, even as the consequences grow increasingly serious.

Mortensen is also still being considered for future filming.

The complication is that the former couple currently cannot appear together because of competing protective orders filed against one another. Jenkins acknowledged that production would need to keep them physically separated if both return.

'I'm very hopeful that we'll be shooting with both of them or either of them very soon,' he said.

Domestic Violence Allegations Escalated Off Camera

The legal battle between Paul, 31, and Mortensen, 33, has unfolded publicly over recent months through court filings, police investigations and livestreamed hearings.

The pair appeared together in a Utah courtroom on 30 April during proceedings tied to their duelling restraining order requests and custody arrangements concerning their two-year-old son, Ever. It marked the first time they had been publicly seen together since reports emerged surrounding multiple domestic violence investigations involving the couple.

Paul accused Mortensen of stalking behaviour and alleged that during one incident he slammed her head into the dashboard of his truck. Mortensen, meanwhile, submitted photographs to the court showing scratches and other injuries he claimed were caused during altercations involving Paul.

Neither side's allegations have been resolved in court.

The network has so far avoided making sweeping public statements about the case itself.

Reality Television's Blurred Boundaries

Filming for the series resumed earlier this year without either Paul or Mortensen initially participating. Yet reports quickly emerged that producers were actively leaving space for Paul's return.

A source previously told People magazine that Paul was receiving strong support from cast members and producers while focusing on her children, mental health and what the source described as recovery from an abusive relationship.

The competing narratives have split viewers online, with some rallying behind Paul while others argue Mortensen has been unfairly villainised.

'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' became a cultural phenomenon precisely because it turned personal scandal into compulsive viewing. The series transformed a niche Mormon influencer circle into tabloid material almost overnight, blending religion, marriage, sex scandals and social media performance into a format designed for viral consumption.

Paul sat at the centre of that storm from the beginning. Her online confession in 2022 that she and her husband had participated in 'soft swinging' arrangements with other Mormon couples detonated across TikTok and gossip media. The Hulu series later built much of its momentum around the fallout.