Netflix’s hit show Love Is Blind is being sued by former contestant Jeremy Hartwell over allegations of poor working conditions.
The series is part-dating show, part-social experiment and follows men and women who meet their dates via voice only. Over the course of the show, they must make a connection without ever setting their sights on one another.
However, it seems that wasn’t the only obstacle stars of the series had to overcome on-set.
The season two participant Jeremy alleges that Love Is Blind producers plied the cast with alcohol while limiting access to food and water.
The 36-year-old also attests that contestants were underpaid.
The lawsuit, which was obtained by People Magazine, claims that the cast was “regularly refused timely food and water… while on set, severely restricting the availability of hydration opportunities.
“Even at the hotel living quarters, food was restricted to the point of severe hunger.”
According to Jeremy’s legal team, the contestants should have been categorised as employees rather than independent contractors under California state law. This is due to producers dictating how many hours the cast worked and the nature of the work, too.
What Is Love Is Blind‘s Jeremy Hartwell Seeking In His Lawsuit?
Via his lawsuit, the Chicagoan is reportedly seeking unpaid wages plus monetary compensation for missed meal breaks and rest periods.
This is on top of unspecified financial damages for unfair business practices and civil penalties relating to labour code violations.
Love Is Blind‘s production company, Kinetic Content, has hit back at the claims.
In a statement to Variety, they said that there is “absolutely no merit to Jeremy’s allegations.
They also detailed that the participant was on the show for “less than one week”.
“He failed to develop a significant connection with any other participant,” their statement read. “While we will not speculate as to his motives for filing the lawsuit, there is absolutely no merit to Mr Hartwell’s allegations, and we will vigorously defend against his claims.”
The claims emerge just one week after Love Is Blind was nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Structured Reality Programme.
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