"Love Is Blind" team prioritizes contestants' well-being after stars accuse show of causing "emotional warfare"

Kinetic Content, the production company behind Love Is Blind, has issued a response to former cast members who claimed they were subjected to “emotional warfare” during their time on the show. In a statement to Variety on April 18, the company said, “The well-being 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.” This response was issued after Business Insider published a report alleging mistreatment of participants on the popular dating series.

Season 2 alum Danielle Ruhl spoke to Business Insider about her experience with production while in Mexico, stating that she was not allowed to attend an event with the other couples due to a possible COVID-19 exposure. After experiencing a panic attack, she claimed to have hidden in a closet to avoid cameras and informed producers that she didn't feel mentally stable enough to continue on the show. Ruhl also revealed that she struggled with suicidal thoughts and had attempted suicide in the past. Participants on the first season of Love Is Blind, which aired in February 2020 and was filmed in Atlanta, reportedly slept in cramped trailers with bunk beds and lacked sufficient access to food and water. Danielle Drouin, a participant on the show’s debut season, claimed that the group was sleep-deprived on purpose "because they're trying to break you."

The report by Business Insider also revealed that Love Is Blind contracts stipulate a $50,000 payment in damages to Kinetic Content if a cast member exits the show prematurely without the approval of producers. It was also claimed that engaged couples are obligated to attend their weddings even if they don't intend to say "I do."

Less than a year ago, a lawsuit was filed against Netflix and the producers of Love Is Blind by former contestant Jeremy Hartwell, who made several allegations about the show’s treatment of its cast members, including claims made by Drouin. The suit, which sought class-action status, was filed on behalf of all participants on Love Is Blind and other non-scripted productions created by Kinetic Content between 2018 and 2022. In the court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Hartwell alleged that cast members weren't allowed to contact their family or friends upon arrival and were left alone for hours without access to phones or other forms of contact with the outside world until required to return to work on the production. Kinetic Content denied the allegations.

Love Is Blind continues to be a popular show on Netflix despite the allegations of mistreatment of its cast members.