\n Gary King<\/span> Fred Jagueneau\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Below Deck<\/em><\/a> is in hot water after a production member accused Gary King<\/strong><\/a> of sexual misconduct \u2014 and Bravo of covering up the claims.<\/p>\n Samantha Suarez joined season 10 of the OG show in the hit franchise<\/a> in the makeup department before assisting on Below Deck Sailing Yacht<\/em>. While filming the spinoff\u2019s fourth season, which took place in summer 2022, Suarez recalled an alleged encounter with King during a \u201cdark day\u201d of filming when the cast was meant to remain in their hotel room.<\/p>\n According to Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a>, Suarez accompanied a drunk King to his room after he filmed his interviews for the day. King\u2019s behavior was allegedly erratic and Suarez was concerned he would venture out of his room so she stayed to keep an eye on him.<\/p>\n After Suarez told King she was planning to leave, he allegedly tried to stop her. \u201c[I said] \u2018I have to go \u2014 I need to go bring other people water and food,\u2019 and he\u2019s like, \u2018No, no, please,\u2019\u201d she claimed to the outlet. \u201cSo I stepped into the room to set the case of waters down and again, he\u2019s repeating, \u2018Don\u2019t leave,\u2019 and I was like, \u2018I have to go, I\u2019m not staying.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Suarez turned toward the door and King allegedly proceeded to press himself against her. He allegedly refused to let her leave until she started to fight back, which is when a talent manager called Suarez\u2019s phone.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m freaking out, and [the talent manager] goes, \u2018What\u2019s wrong? What\u2019s going on?\u2019 And I\u2019m like, \u2018Just leave me alone.\u2019 He tried to come up behind me and put his arm around me,\u201d she alleged. \u201cHe\u2019s in the hallway in his underwear and it\u2019s all weird and f\u2014ked up, and so I\u2019m just like, \u2018Just go back in your room and don\u2019t come out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Suarez said she immediately contacted producers<\/a> about the incident. As a result, King was instructed to sleep on the boat on \u201cdark days\u201d so he wasn\u2019t in the hotel with the rest of the cast and crew members.<\/p>\n Bravo issued a statement in response to the allegations, telling Rolling Stone<\/em>, \u201cBravo is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows. We require our third-party production companies to have appropriate workplace policies and trainings in place and a clear process on how to report concerns. The concerns Ms. Suarez raised in July 2022 were investigated at that time and action was taken based on the findings.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Below Deck<\/em>\u2019s production company, 51 Minds Entertainment, added, \u201c51 Minds is committed to providing an environment in which every member of the casts and crews on our productions feel respected and, most importantly, safe. 51 Minds provides mandatory harassment and sensitivity training for every series it produces at the outset of each new season and lays out a clear process on how and to whom to report any questionable activity.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement continued: \u201cWith any complaint filed, a timely investigation is launched and, based on the findings, appropriate actions are implemented to ensure the safety of our cast and crew, up to and including termination. With regard to the incident reported by Ms. Suarez involving Mr. King, the case was investigated and reviewed as soon as it was submitted, and production acted accordingly based on the results.\u201d<\/p>\n King did not provide a comment to the story, Us Weekly<\/em> has also reached out for comment. Suarez told Rolling Stone<\/em> that the incident caused her to take a break from work because of declining mental health<\/a>. After she reported the incident to 51 Minds Entertainment, Suarez was put in contact with an HR representative who arranged for her to speak with a counselor.<\/p>\n Suarez later informed executive producers that she was upset with how the situation was addressed. She recalled feeling as if the responsibility was on her to request for King to be fired instead of producers making the decision.<\/a><\/p>\n Other crew members, who asked to remain unnamed, told Rolling Stone<\/em> about separate incidents where King was seen grabbing a female cast member\u2019s butt. He allegedly continued to make advances after his costar told him to stop \u2014 which the crew reported to the control room. The unnamed employees went on to say that King had an alleged pattern of making other women on set uncomfortable by pursuing them.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was insane. There were multiple incidents of sexual harassment in front of multiple producers after this person had been given verbal warnings multiple times,\u201d they stated. \u201cI had to promote and make this guy who just assaulted someone look awesome. That was my job, to make this person look cool, capable, and exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n During her interview with Rolling Stone<\/em>, Suarez also accused Below Deck<\/em>\u2019s Ross McHarg<\/strong> of making her feel<\/a> uncomfortable during a car ride back to the hotel. \u201cHe was just making these weird, lewd, sexual, gross comments toward me to the point where the other boys in the car were like, \u2018Shut up Ross, why are you saying these things to her?\u2019\u201d she claimed about the incident, which allegedly occurred during season 10 of Below Deck<\/em>. \u201cThere was stuff like that that I expressed to production as well and, you know, nothing happened thereafter.\u201d<\/p>\n McHarg did not respond to Rolling Stone<\/em>\u2018s requests for comment. Suarez, meanwhile, was not asked to return to the show<\/a>, which she felt was retaliation for reporting King\u2019s behavior to the production company.<\/p>\n King announced earlier this month that he would be attending Bravo\u2019s annual fan convention, BravoCon<\/a>, in November. He is currently still listed<\/a> on the official website as an attendee.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Below](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Below-Deck-Accused-of-Covering-Up-Gary-Kings-Sexual-Misconduct-and-Ross-McHargs-Inappropriate-Behavior-3.jpg?w=700&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Ross McHarg<\/span> Laurent Bassett\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n