Below Deck Sailing Yacht star Gary King has been sued for alleged sexual battery by a former hair and makeup artist on the show.
Samantha Suarez accused the reality star, 36, of restraining her in his hotel room while inebriated after filming interviews for the show’s fourth season in Sardinia, Italy, in July 2022.
Suarez feared King would “rape” her after he allegedly refused to let her leave his room, according to the legal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.
She reportedly told her boyfriend, Grey Duddleston, who was working as a camera operator for the show, about the alleged incident as well as a show producer.
Instead of King being fired over his alleged behaviour, Duddleston was reportedly investigated for “inappropriate use of the walkie-talkie system” and he and Suarez were later fired.
Suarez claimed in her filing that the alleged incident began when she was told by production to bring a pack of bottled water and snacks to King's room.
The Bravo star was allegedly heavily intoxicated and refused to accept them, insisting Suarez come inside.
When she walked in to place the items on a nearby counter, he allegedly "grabbed her, held her restrained by her upper body and arms and pressed his entire body against her”.
Suarez claimed she tried to “fight her way out” in a panic, “kicking and elbowing King and screaming at him to get off of her".
When she got free, she got to the door and pulled it open, before King allegedly slammed it shut with both hands and his “entire body weight”, according to the lawsuit.
Suarez alleged that she was "sure she was about to be raped" and "braced herself". She reportedly got a call on her phone at that moment and quickly answered.
She claimed this prompted King to let go of the door, follow her into the hallway in his underwear, grab her shoulders, rub her back, and ask, “What’s wrong, sweetie?”
Suarez insisted King return to his hotel room and he eventually complied, according to the suit.
She reported the alleged incident shortly afterwards to an executive producer and to her boyfriend Duddleston, the filing reported.
Suarez claimed she was told by production that King had admitted to "everything" after a private conversation with the show runner.
She was allegedly sent an email by the show runner, who passed along King’s remorse and apology and claimed he would be fired if there were further issues.
The lawsuit claims that two weeks later, Duddleston saw King exhibit acts of "disturbing, sexually aggressive behavior".
He allegedly saw King "grope" two female crew members, pull a swimsuit top off a cast member, make crude remarks to an audio technician and grab the genitals of two camera operators while he was inebriated.
Duddleston reportedly told production and the lead investigator in Suarez’s case about the alleged misconduct.
He and Suarez were ultimately fired and allegedly put on a “do not hire” list after their dismissal, according to their suit.
King’s representative declined to comment when approached by The Standard.
Duddleston and Suarez have filed a lawsuit against King, NBC Universal, Bravo, 51 Minds - the production company behind Below Deck - and other entities on 16 counts of action - including sexual battery, assault, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and emotional distress.
King first appeared on the Sailing Yacht spin-off of the Below Deck franchise in season two, working on the crew of a 177-foot yacht sailing around Croatia while entertaining wealthy guests.
He has been the First Officer on every season since when they have sailed to Menorca, Spain, Sardinia, Italy and Ibiza, Spain.
