Leah McSweeney has filed a civil lawsuit against Bravo and Andy Cohen after his experience filming Real Housewives of New York City and Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls' Trip.
According to court documents obtained by Page six On Tuesday, February 27, the reality star and her lawyers allege that Cohen, 55, and the network intentionally took advantage of McSweeney's struggle with alcoholism in an attempt to score big ratings.
“This is not a story I ever thought I would tell; In fact, I was terrified to talk about it and was warned not to,” McSweeney, 41, said via a instagram publish hours after the lawsuit was filed. “Your favorite Bravo shows are run by people who create a dangerous work environment, encourage substance abuse to artificially create drama, and cynically take advantage of their employees' vulnerabilities.”
While McSweeney said some of the stories detailed in the lawsuit have been shown in edited form on television, viewers could learn much more as the case unfolds in New York.
Several of Hollywood's biggest stars have been candid about their sobriety journeys over the years. Kelly Osbourne, who previously spoke about being sober for six years, revealed in April 2021 that she had suffered a relapse and was working on next steps. “I'm not proud of it. But I am back to normal,” she wrote via […]
“There will be much more that will come to light once the people involved are questioned under oath. Today I am recovering my reality,” she said. “The reckless and diabolical way in which people at the top drool over the mishaps and misfortunes of women, myself included, is disturbing. It is a work culture where toxicity, alcoholism, and pain are not only expected but also encouraged and facilitated. That's something I definitely didn't sign up for or would ever endorse.”
McSweeney appeared in two seasons of Real Housewives of New York City between 2020 and 2021 and a season of the spin-off Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls' Trip in 2023.
In the lawsuit, McSweeney said she told producers before her first season that she had been sober for 30 days and was working to stay sober.
Instead of providing her with proper care and support throughout her film experience, McSweeney and her legal team alleged in the lawsuit that producers pressured her to drink throughout all three seasons.
“There is nothing more important than my sobriety, without it I risk losing everything,” McSweeney said via Instagram. “I have been very transparent about my addiction and my recovery, however, there are personal things in the lawsuit that I never wanted to reveal for fear of being judged and shamed, but I am now at a point in my life where I feel strong enough to resist whatever comes my way.”
While McSweeney said she has “love and respect for many” of the Bravo talent she has met and worked with over the years, she hopes her lawsuit “helps reality TV align with its true purpose.” : to authentically represent the complexities of life while offering genuine support to those who share their stories.”
The Real Housewives of New York City premiered in 2008, but not all the housewives have made it to the end. The RHONY season 1 cast included Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Bethenny Frankel, Jill Zarin, and Alex McCord. While Kelly Killoren Bensimon joined the cast during season 2, Sonja Morgan became a full-time cast member during […]
“I've been trying to address this internally for years, but since then I've been dismissed, blocked, and gassed (but really) at every turn,” he said. “Bravo can try to manipulate my reality and everyone else's reality all he wants, but the cold, hard facts of this case are as real as they come. Thank you to my close friends and family and of course @adelmanmatz who have supported me through every difficult but necessary step of this journey. I’ll see you in court.”
Us weekly has reached out to Bravo, Cohen's rep and McSweeney's attorneys for comment.
