Doug Mason, the winner of Taylor Frankie Paul’s unaired season of The Bachelorette, has opened up about their relationship and the behind-the-scenes experiences that ultimately led to their split.

Mason discussed the experience during the October 13 episode of the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, hosted by Charity Lawson and Rachel Recchia. He explained that he had initially stayed quiet out of respect for Paul and the show, but decided to share his perspective after feeling that she had downplayed their relationship on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

Mason said he was initially drawn to Paul because of how kind and generous she appeared during filming. However, as their relationship developed, he began to question whether they had a future together, particularly because he suspected she still had feelings for her former boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen.

According to Mason, Paul told him that she had slept with Mortensen the night before filming began. The revelation left him struggling with comparisons to her former partner, which became a recurring source of tension during the season.

Mason recalled that one group date was particularly difficult because he felt he could not escape comparisons to Mortensen. He said the situation affected the dynamic between him and Paul, despite believing that their connection had been genuine up to that point.

The relationship also involved significant steps towards a future together. Mason met Paul’s children and her ex-husband, Tate Paul, during filming. He recalled an off-camera conversation with Tate, who warned him that being with Paul would change his life and asked whether he was prepared for the challenges involved.

Despite his doubts, Mason eventually proposed to Paul, and she accepted. He explained that his decision came from his romantic feelings and a desire to believe in their relationship, even as he questioned whether they were truly compatible.

Looking back, Mason said he had since gained a clearer understanding of what he wanted from a relationship. “I loved Taylor for who she was during the show, but of course, since then, I’ve realized what true love is, and that wasn’t it,” he said.

Paul previously confirmed on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives that she had become engaged during her season of The Bachelorette. She also discussed what happened after she returned home, including her continued contact with Mortensen.

The season was pulled from ABC’s schedule before its planned premiere in March after a video surfaced showing a 2023 domestic violence incident involving Paul and Mortensen. The unaired season subsequently became a subject of renewed attention as Paul discussed the relationship and its aftermath on her reality series.

Mason’s comments offer a new account of the relationship from the perspective of the man who proposed to Paul during the season. He said he had moved forward from the experience and wanted to explain his side after watching the relationship discussed publicly.