Love Is Blind’ Producers Say Well-Being of Contestants Is ‘Paramount’ After Claims Netflix Series Put Them Through ‘Emotional Warfare’

 

Love Is Blind’s production company, Kinetic Content, responded after former cast members of the reality series claimed they were put through “emotional warfare” during their time on the show.

“The well-being of our participants is of paramount importance to Kinetic,” the production company told Variety in a Tuesday, April 18, statement. “We have rigorous protocols in place to care for each person before, during, and after filming.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Business Insider published a report on the Netflix dating series that featured multiple contestants claiming they were mistreated while participating in the streaming hit.

Season 2 star Danielle Ruhl — who got engaged to ex-husband Nick Thompson during her time in the pods — told the outlet that she had issues with production while in Mexico. The Illinois native claimed that she was not allowed to attend an event being held for all the couples because there was a chance she contracted COVID-19. After she began to have a panic attack, she allegedly hid in the closet to avoid cameras and told producers she didn’t feel mentally stable enough to stay on the show.

“I kept telling them, ‘I don’t trust myself. I’ve tried committing suicide before,’” she explained to Business Insider. “’I’m having suicidal thoughts. I don’t think I can continue in this.’

The report also claimed that during the show’s first season, which aired in February 2020 and filmed in Atlanta, Georgia, contestants were forced to sleep in “drab trailers crammed with bunk beds during the 10 days dating in the pods.” All 15 women allegedly stayed in “one single-room trailer, with the 15 men in another.”

Danielle Drouin, who appeared on the debut season, claimed that the groups also didn’t have enough access to food or water. “The sleep deprivation was real,” she said. “I feel like they do it on purpose because they’re trying to break you. They want you on your edge.”

Katy Perry’s ‘American Idol’ Ups and Downs: Disney Night Wipeout, Mom-Shaming Comments and More

Hot and cold! Katy Perry has had her ups and downs throughout her American Idol tenure, going viral for impressive performances and controversial comments.

The “Dark Horse” singer — who has been a judge on the ABC reality series since 2018 — got called out for mom-shaming season 21 contestant Sarah Beth Liebe in March 2023.

During Liebe’s televised audition for the singing competition, she surprised the judges when she shared that she was a mother of three at just 25 years old. Perry reacted by leaning against fellow judge Luke Bryan in shock, prompting Liebe to say, “If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m gonna pass out.”

The “Roar” songstress then quipped, “Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much,” referring to the auditionee’s motherhood journey.

After the moment aired on television, Liebe took to social media to share her thoughts on Perry’s comments.

“I don’t really have too much to say on my feelings about it because I feel like it’s probably pretty self-explanatory. I mean, it was embarrassing to have that on TV and it was hurtful and, you know, that’s that,” she said in a TikTok video.

The music hopeful continued: “I think women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool, and I think that mom-shaming is super lame, and I think that it’s hard enough to be a mom and it’s hard enough to be a woman.”