“Love Is Blind” creator Chris Coelen is responding to allegations that contestants had been disadvantaged of meals, water, and sleep whereas filming the broadly standard Netflix actuality present.
Former season two contestants Nick Thompson, Danielle Ruhl, and Jeremy Hartwell have all spoken up about mistreatment they allege occurred whereas filming, with the latter filing a lawsuit against Netflix claiming that they had been disadvantaged of sleep, water, and meals whereas on set.
‘Love Is Blind’ Creator Responds To Netflix Lawsuit From Former Contestants
After Jeremy Hartwell filed a lawsuit in opposition to Netflix and the manufacturing firm Kinetic Content material in 2022, Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson alleged additional mistreatment in an interview with Business Insider, with Danielle even going so far as to say that she was denied medical treatment after coughing up blood.
In an announcement to Entertainment Weekly made on the time, Kinetic Content material responded to the Enterprise Insider report, saying, “The wellbeing of our individuals is of paramount significance to Kinetic.” The corporate added, “Now we have rigorous protocols in place to take care of every individual earlier than, throughout, and after filming.”
Kinetic additionally claimed that Jeremy’s allegations had “completely no benefit” and vowed to “vigorously defend in opposition to his claims.”
![Love Is Blind reality star Nick Thompson](https://d3stcg8iy7fvse.cloudfront.net/2023/08/Love-Is-Blind-reality-star-Nick-Thompson.jpg)
In a September 2023 interview with Variety, “Love Is Blind” creator Chris Coelen additionally slammed the allegations. Though Hartwell alleged in his lawsuit that contestants had been locked alone for hours “with no entry to a cellphone, meals, or some other kind of contact with the surface world,” Chris insists that the concept that he was held “prisoner” is “insane” as a result of manufacturing is “actually clear in regards to the element of what taking part in Love Is Blind entails.”
“We inform them that they gained’t be capable of journey freely whereas they’re within the pods,” Chris defined. “We inform them they gained’t have telephones or TV or web service within the pods or of their resort rooms the place they keep or within the romantic getaways. You’re requested to remain in your resort to guard the integrity of the experiment. We disconnect their telephones and web to allow them to’t get on-line as a result of individuals are tempted to look folks up.”
Jeremy Hartwell Stands By What He Claimed In His 2022 Lawsuit
![Jeremy Hartwell from season 2 of Love Is Blind](https://d3stcg8iy7fvse.cloudfront.net/2022/07/274493764_644967816770885_8368228051266256664_n.jpg)
Chris additionally maintained that they had been by no means disadvantaged of meals, water, and sleep on set. Though Jeremy alleged that they labored twenty hours a day, Chris insisted that contestants had been by no means filming for greater than sixteen hours a day. He additionally mentioned that contestants had been allowed to sleep within the lounge in the event that they felt drained and will take a shuttle again to the resort at any time.
The “Love Is Blind” creator additionally slammed allegations that they had been denied meals whereas submitting. He mentioned that manufacturing offered catered meals to the set and included free bottled water within the lounge for contestants to drink at any time. Though Jeremy insisted that there was “an extra of alcohol” on set, Chris says that they really have inspired contestants to not drink earlier than making main selections.
![Jeremy Hartwell from season 2 of Love Is Blind](https://d3stcg8iy7fvse.cloudfront.net/2022/07/274779385_3093456477569922_5685604966696356487_n.jpg)
“Each season, I say … ‘I personally suggest that you just don’t drink to extra, as a result of I personally don’t assume that’s a great way to attach together with your potential partner — particularly doing it by a wall,” Chris claimed. “‘Whether or not you wish to drink or don’t wish to drink, it’s as much as you.’”
In an announcement to Selection, Jeremy Hartwell insisted that he stands by what he mentioned in his lawsuit, including, “I’ll proceed to behave in one of the best curiosity of the category within the pursuit of reality and justice. I’ve no additional remark past this because the proof and eventual consequence of the lawsuit will stand by itself benefit.”
‘Love Is Blind’ Creator Addresses Danielle Ruhl’s Psychological Well being Accusations
![Danielle Ruhl from "Love Is Blind" season 2](https://d3stcg8iy7fvse.cloudfront.net/2022/03/222431911_131540629131117_6068187972769295212_n.jpg)
Chris additionally spoke up about Danielle Ruhl’s allegations about her psychological well being. Though she claimed she had a panic assault in Mexico and requested to depart, Chris insists that not every thing she mentioned was true. “She didn’t inform the manufacturing group that she was having any ideas of self-harm. If she had, we wouldn’t have continued to movie together with her,” he mentioned.
“She by no means requested anybody in manufacturing ever to depart the present. She was free to depart the experiment at any time, as many individuals have up to now,” he continued. “I urge all potential individuals to at all times prioritize their very own well-being, above being on TV, or taking part on this experiment, regardless of how nice the upside may probably be.”
![Love Is Blind girls night out](https://d3stcg8iy7fvse.cloudfront.net/2022/08/298691783_2304607249677360_2896076123127056641_n-1.jpg)
Chris Coelen additionally shot down claims that he doesn’t present psychological well being assist to Netflix contestants. He mentioned that psychologists are on set whereas contestants are within the pods. In a while throughout filming, when the {couples} transfer in collectively, he mentioned that contestants are given a hotline to name the place psychological well being assist is offered 2/7.
Chris additionally mentioned that producers actively encourage contestants to go to remedy after the present, as Netflix will cowl the price of their psychological well being therapy. Regarding the alleged $50,000 high quality that contestants needed to pay in the event that they left the present, Chris mentioned that it has since been faraway from the contract for the present’s fifth season.
![Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson](https://d3stcg8iy7fvse.cloudfront.net/2023/04/Danielle-Ruhl-and-Nick-Thompson.jpg)
“We by no means have enforced it. We’ve by no means threatened to implement it,” Chris mentioned, including, “Frankly, it’s contradictory to every thing we do on any of our reveals.”
The “Love Is Blind” season 5 finale shall be accessible to stream on Netflix on October 13.