Love Is Blind recently wrapped up season 6 on Netflix. However, for some, the allegations made off-screen have been more attention-grabbing than the latest season of the reality dating show.
Since its premiere in 2020, Love Is Blind has risen to become one of Netflix’s longest-running and most successful reality TV series. It’s difficult not to be intrigued by the premise as fifteen men and fifteen women attempt to find their forever partner in the course of just a few weeks. The couples start talking to each other in pods where they cannot see each other. However, if they want to continue the relationship after ten days, they must propose to move beyond the pod section. The couples then go on a couples’ retreat and try living together for three weeks before deciding in the end if they actually want to go through with their speedy proposal and get married.
It’s the kind of outlandish, dramatic, and gossip-inducing show that reality TV fans love. Unfortunately, the series doesn’t escape the common pitfalls of reality TV. The industry has seen an increase in lawsuits and allegations in regards to its treatment of contestants recently, and Love Is Blind is no exception.
Love is Blind legal troubles explained
Love Is Blind is currently juggling three lawsuits from former contestants, alleging everything from false imprisonment to illegal contracts. The first lawsuit came from season 2 contestant Jeremy Hartwell. Hartwell didn’t make it past the second round and, thus, was hardly featured in the show. However, his lawsuit detailed the horrific working conditions he endured with minimal payoff. His lawsuit accused Netflix and the production company behind Love Is Blind of multiple labor law violations.
He alleged that contestants were forced to give up their wallets, IDs, money, phones, and more upon entering the show. In addition to having no connection with the outside world, they were forced to work up to 140 hours per week for just $1,000 a week, making their hourly rate far below California’s minimum wage. Hartwell claims that they were constantly kept in a sleep-deprived and alcohol-induced state due to the producers wishing to exacerbate their reactions and make things more interesting.
His lawsuit was followed by one from season 5 contestant Tran Dang, who sued the show’s production team for false imprisonment, negligence, and sexual assault. Dang’s account aligned with Hartwell’s about being cut off from the outside world and prevented from leaving with threats of obscenely high fines for breach of contract. Even more egregiously, she was allegedly forbidden from leaving when she was paired with another contestant, Thomas Smith, who allegedly assaulted her. She accused the show’s producers of being aware of the assault and harassment and doing nothing about it.
Another Love Is Blind season 5 contestant, Renee Poche, had a similar experience to Dang. She spoke out against Netflix and the show’s production team after she was allegedly falsely imprisoned and forcibly paired with Carter Wall, who was abusive towards her. Poche claimed the production team knew of Wall’s erratic behavior and that she personally told them she did not feel safe, but the team did nothing about it. Netflix filed an arbitration claim against her for breaking her NDA, resulting in her filing a lawsuit seeking to render her contract illegal as well as to recover damages for emotional distress.
Netflix and Love Is Blind‘s team have denied all of the accusations, but the lawsuits are still pending. More lawsuits and allegations may be on the horizon as Hartwell was seeking class-action status to add more victims to his suit. Additionally, Poche’s case demonstrates that many Love Is Blind contestants are being silenced by NDAs. If her case renders the show’s contracts illegal, it could pave the way for further legal action.
Other accusations against Love Is Blind
Not every accusation against Love Is Blind has resulted in legal action. Danielle Ruhl has accused the show of “trapping” contestants in the production with no regard for mental health. She alleged she should have been disqualified from participating based on the psychological screening she underwent, where she was honest about her recent struggles and history of mental illness.
Instead, she was permitted on the show and forced to remain lest she face a $50,000 fine for leaving early. Ruhl also alleged that the results of the evaluation weren’t kept private and were likely the reason producers wanted her on the show—to try to induce a breakdown. Former contestant Briana Holmes also alleged the show ignored the seriousness of her panic attack and literally chased her with the camera to get footage instead of helping her or giving her privacy.
However, not every allegation is as severe or disturbing as the abovementioned ones. One of the most significant allegations that arose in season 6 was that two contestants, Jimmy Presnell and Jeramey Lutinski, were in relationships when they went on the show. A woman claiming to be Presnell’s girlfriend made a TikTok alleging she was blindsided by her boyfriend’s appearance on Love Is Blind. Meanwhile, Lutinski’s former fiancée alleged he applied for the show when he was engaged to her. Presnell denied knowing the girl claiming to be his girlfriend, while Lutinski admitted to his past engagement but denied he applied for the show while still with her.
The allegations raised scrutiny over the vetting process for Love Is Blind contestants. Having someone already in a relationship sneak onto the show is probably the best-case scenario for a lazy casting process, but unfortunately, we’ve already seen how laziness can backfire so much worse if actual dangerous men end up on the show. On top of that, most want Love Is Blind to be about finding love, not becoming a resource for men looking to have affairs. Co-host Vanessa Lachey has also stirred controversy, with viewers and contestants accusing her of asking inappropriate questions during reunions, such as pressing when a Love Is Blind couple planned to reproduce.
Despite all of the allegations, season 7 of Love Is Blind is still moving forward with production. Hence, more allegations are likely to arise in the future, as well as further details on the show’s numerous lawsuits.
(featured image: Netflix)
