'Love Is Blind' alums call out Netflix's 'traumatic' show as they accuse producers of 'breaking' them
The former cast members of 'Love Is Blind' are spilling the beans on Netflix's most popular reality series! In the dating experiment, a group of singles search for their ideal match without meeting in person. The contestants communicate through a speaker while in separate pods. Ultimately, the couples who fall in love get engaged. The big question is: can an emotional connection outweigh physical chemistry?
'Love Is Blind' Season 7 wrapped up in October 2024, and former contestants have been revealing their traumatic filming experiences ever since. Several, including Nick Thompson from Season 2, shared how the pods were emotionally challenging and discussed the show's aftermath, according to Bussiness Insider. Nick recalled, “You thrust us into this situation without any support, and everything’s amplified. It literally ruins lives.” For the unversed, Nick married fellow contestant Danielle Ruhl on the show, but their marital bliss was short-lived, ultimately leading to a divorce.
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Several anonymous contestants revealed that filming for the dating show was a "traumatic" experience. They disclosed that they were required to film for nearly 20 hours a day for two weeks. Additionally, they shared that while their activities were closely monitored by production assistants, they were not allowed to interact with the crew members. “We were told if a girl comes on the bus and she feels self-conscious, feeling bad about her body, don’t respond. Just ice her. That weird cult vibe of, ‘Don’t talk to them, they can’t talk to you.’ It’s all about the isolation," an anonymous former production assistant shared, as reported by The Hollywood Gossip.
In most reality shows, contestants are isolated from their family members during filming and the long filming schedules often disrupt the contestants' sleep patterns as well. Discussing the same, 'Love Is Blind' Season 1 contestant Danielle Drouin chimed in, "The sleep deprivation was real. I feel like they do it on purpose because they’re trying to break you. They want you on your edge.” 'Love Is Blind' isn't alone, many contestants from shows like 'The Bachelor', 'The Bachelorette', and 'Big Brother' have accused the makers of causing mental, emotional, and physical stress. Briana Holmes who worked as a mental health therapist before joining the show's first season told the media outlet, “You should have check-ins. People forget that your emotional, mental, and physical well-being can be interrupted with any remembrance of trauma.”
At that moment, Netflix hasn't released any official statement to address the shocking claims made by the contestants. However, the show's production company Kinetic Content shut down the allegations in a statement that read, “The wellbeing of our participants is of paramount importance to Kinetic. We have rigorous protocols in place to care for each person before, during, and after filming,” as per Variety. When we talk about the future of 'Love of Blind', the highly-anticipated Season 8 is set to debut on February 14, 2025, only on the streaming giant Netflix.
