Below Deck Sailing Yacht star Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, where the crew work on sailing yachts versus the standard mega-yachts seen on Below Deck, Below Deck Mediterranean, and others. Gary first appeared as the first officer during Sailing Yacht season 2, and has appeared on it since, despite serious allegations lobbied against him.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht's Gary King is now facing additional accusations after a new lawsuit was filed.

Rolling Stone obtained documents that were filed on behalf of former Below Deck crew Samantha Suarez and Grey Duddleston. The pair worked as a hair and makeup artist and camera operator, respectively. According to their lawsuit, during production of Sailing Yacht in the summer of 2022, Samantha was tasked with bringing Gary a case of water and snacks, but when she knocked on his door, Gary, clad only in underwear, allegedly refused to accept the water and snacks, forcing her to enter his room.

As Samantha attempted to leave the room, Gary allegedly physically restrained her and trapped her in the room. Rolling Stone quoted the lawsuit as saying, "Suarez managed to break free, ran towards the door and started to pull the door open when King, who was chasing her, got both his hands on the door and slammed it shut keeping her trapped, menacingly laughing and staring at her with evil dilated eyes. Suarez was sure she would be [assaulted]." After Samantha was able to free herself, Gary allegedly followed her into the hallway and tried to comfort her.

Samantha immediately reported the alleged encounter to the show's production company, 51 Minds. Her partner at the time, Grey, also claimed that he'd witnessed Gary acting inappropriately with crew and cast , including things like making lewd remarks and grabbing at private parts. Grey and Samantha are also alleging that they've been effectively "blacklisted" from the industry after filing these complaints, amid alleged attempts to brush the initial accusations under the rug.

What Lawsuit Means For Gary King & Below Deck

Reality TV Productions Have Been Criticized For Unsafe Working Conditions

It's not the first time a reality TV show production has come under fire for unsafe working conditions. In the summer of 2023, there were reports of a reckoning movement within the reality TV world, in which former Bravolebrities like Bethenny Frankel, Leah McSweeney, and Eboni K. Williams detailed allegations like cast being plied with alcohol, rampant racism, mental health crises, and sexual harassment on sets. Many of those lawsuits are still ongoing.

In this case, Gary's troubles appear far from over. As one of the main cast on Below Deck Sailing Yacht, he has become a face of the series. Bravo was criticized for pulling Gary's image from marketing materials promoting season 5 following initial reporting of the complaints while still keeping him on the series. There has been no word on face pushback if they continue employing Gary.

Our Take On Lawsuit Against Below Deck’s Gary King

Gary Must Be Held able

Hollywood has a dark history of refusing to hold certain stars and powerful figures able for their actions and alleged behavior, and despite things like the #MeToo movement and the aforementioned "reality reckoning," there is an imbalance of power that permeates the industry and allows for alleged mistreatment to occur. If the Below Deck Sailing Yacht star is proven to be guilty, and everyone named in the suit doesn't take a strong stance, the production companies and network could lose money in advertising, sponsorships and viewership. If money doesn't make these companies straighten up and take action, then nothing will.

Source: Rolling Stone