Multiple Love Is Blind contestants claimed they were mistreated, traumatized, and left exhausted while filming the hit Netflix dating series. Kinetic Content, the production company behind the series, responded to the allegations, claiming they have “rigorous protocols” meant to help contestants’ well-being. The allegations were published days after Season 4 ended, and the botched April 16 “live” reunion special.
“The well-being of our participants is of paramount importance to Kinetic,” the production company said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly on Wednesday. “We have rigorous protocols in place to care for each person before, during, and after filming.” Netflix did not respond to comment.
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On Tuesday, Business Insider published interviews with former contestants who said they faced overlong filming days, endured sleep deprivation, and were pressured to stay on the show. They also accused producers of insisting they reveal their insecurities and traumas for the show. One contestant described the production as “emotional warfare.”
Danielle Ruhl, who met ex-husband Nick Thompson during Season 2 and has spoken about her mental health struggles, said she had a panic attack. She told producers she didn’t feel well enough to continue with the series, but she ended up staying until the end. “I kept telling them, ‘I don’t trust myself. I’ve tried committing suicide before. I’m having suicidal thoughts. I don’t think I can continue in this,’” Ruhl told Business Insider.
“The sleep deprivation was real,” Season 1 contestant Danielle Drouin told BI. “I feel like they do it on purpose because they’re trying to break you. They want you on your edge.” Some contestants said they were not provided with food and water, and couldn’t get enough sleep between filming.
This isn’t the first time Love Is Blind has faced allegations of mistreatment. Last year, Season 2 contestant Jeremy Hartwell sued Netflix, Kinetic, and casting firm Delirium TV. He made several similar allegations in his lawsuit, accusing the companies of creating an “unsafe and inhumane” working environment. There was also an “excess of alcohol all either required, enabled, or encouraged by defendants contributed to inhumane working conditions and altered [the] mental state [of] the cast,” Hartwell claimed. Kinetic denied Hartwell’s allegations.
Love Is Blind has come under increased scrutiny following the end of Season 4. Fans have called for co-host Vanessa Lachey to be fired due to her questioning of contestants during the reunion. The reunion was also supposed to be streamed live on Netflix, but the stream was scrapped after fans waited for 75 minutes for it to start. Netflix eventually released the reunion, which was pre-taped anyway, on Monday. Netflix later blamed the snafu on a technical bug and apologized.
Love Is Blind was created by Chris Coelen and debuted in February 2020. It became a big success during the early days of COVID-19 lockdowns. The format features contestants talking to each other in “pods,” and they can only see one another after getting engaged. The engaged couples then head to a resort to meet other contestants. By the end of the season, the couples have to decide whether to get married or not. Two couples from Season 1, none from Season 2, two from Season 3, and four from Season 4 are still together.
