Reality television has weathered plenty of scandals, but few have stuck to a single cast member the way this one has clung to Gary King. The Below Deck Sailing Yacht star now finds himself at the center of a sprawling legal battle that reaches well beyond his own conduct, pulling NBCUniversal, Bravo, and the show’s production companies into the fight.
Two former crew members filed suit in March 2025, and the case has only grown more contentious since. Here’s a breakdown of what’s alleged, where the litigation stands, and why the outcome could matter for how reality shows handle misconduct behind the cameras.
Who Filed the Lawsuit and When
Samantha Suarez, a hair and makeup artist, and Grey Duddleston, a camera operator, brought the case against King, NBCUniversal, Bravo, production company 51 Minds, and other affiliated entities. Suarez and Duddleston, who are partners, both worked on Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 4.
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles and names 16 separate counts of action. Sexual battery, assault, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and emotional distress all appear on that list, giving the case a scope that goes far beyond a single hotel-room incident.
The Core Allegation Against King
According to the complaint, the events at issue took place in July 2022 while the production was filming in Sardinia. Suarez said she was sent to King’s hotel room with water and snacks. When she stepped inside to set them down, she claims King restrained her physically and pressed against her, and that she genuinely feared she was about to be sexually assaulted before managing to break free after a phone call interrupted him.
The suit describes King in blunt terms, alleging he had built a reputation as a “known drunkard, and serial harasser.” That characterization matters legally, because part of the case rests on whether production knew about a pattern of behavior and failed to act on it.
Production’s Alleged Response
One of the more damaging claims isn’t about King at all — it’s about what happened after. The plaintiffs allege they were told the production team had decided to fire King, only for NBCUniversal to override that call. The suit frames the decision as a business calculation, suggesting the network prioritized a popular cast member over the safety concerns raised by its own crew.
That allegation is central to the retaliation and wrongful termination claims, since Suarez and Duddleston say they were the ones let go, not King.
Legal Roadblocks and Where the Case Stands
The case hasn’t moved in a straight line toward trial. Defense attorneys have pushed to have Suarez’s individual claims thrown out entirely, arguing that a California court has no business hearing a dispute rooted in conduct that occurred off the coast of Sardinia, thousands of miles from the jurisdiction where the suit was filed. Suarez lives in Georgia, which adds another wrinkle to the jurisdictional argument.
Recent hearings have focused heavily on that jurisdictional question rather than the underlying facts of the assault claims. Whether Suarez can proceed in California will likely shape how much of the case survives in its current form, and further hearings are expected to address the motion to dismiss before any trial date gets set.
Why This Case Has Wider Industry Implications
Reality television has faced growing scrutiny over how it treats crew members, particularly women working in close quarters with cast on international shoots. Prior reporting, including testimony gathered before this lawsuit was filed, described a broader pattern of discomfort among crew working around King, suggesting this wasn’t an isolated complaint.
Bravo has publicly stated it remains committed to a safe working environment for cast and crew, though the network has not addressed the specific allegations in detail while litigation is ongoing. How this case resolves could influence whether other crew members on unscripted shows feel emboldened to bring similar claims forward, especially where allegations touch on repeat behavior rather than a single incident.
What Happens Next
For now, the case remains in a pretrial phase, with jurisdictional arguments taking priority over the substance of the sexual battery and harassment claims. No trial date has been confirmed. Given the multiple defendants and the international nature of the underlying incident, this case is likely to take months, if not longer, to reach any resolution or settlement.
FAQs
Q. Is Gary King still part of Below Deck Sailing Yacht?
As of the most recent reporting, King remains connected to the franchise, and the lawsuit hasn’t resulted in a confirmed cast removal. Any change to his status would likely be announced separately by Bravo rather than through court filings.
Q. Can a California court actually hear a case about something that happened in Sardinia?
That’s exactly what the defense is disputing. Courts generally require some meaningful connection to the state where a suit is filed, and the defense argues Suarez’s claims don’t meet that bar since she’s a Georgia resident and the alleged conduct occurred abroad. A ruling on this could dismiss part of the case without ever addressing the assault allegations themselves.
Q. What’s the difference between the claims made by Suarez and Duddleston?
Suarez’s claims center on the alleged physical assault itself, while Duddleston’s allegations focus more on retaliation and wrongful termination tied to how he and Suarez say they were treated after coming forward. That’s part of why the jurisdictional challenge specifically targets Suarez’s portion of the suit rather than the whole case.
Q. Has NBCUniversal or Bravo responded directly to the allegations?
Bravo has issued general statements about workplace safety without directly addressing the specific claims in the lawsuit. Neither NBCUniversal nor representatives for King have provided detailed public comment on the allegations as the case moves through pretrial motions.
