Caroline Manzo has taken legal action against Bravo and Peacock after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by Brandi Glanville last year. In a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ and Page Six on January 26, Caroline, 62, claimed that Brandi, 51, harassed her and production did not intervene when they were filming The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip in Morocco in January 2023. Caroline alleged that Brandi forced herself onto the Real Housewives of New Jersey alum and kissed her without her consent at their rental home.
The lawsuit reportedly stated that Brandi, who was allegedly intoxicated at the time of the incident, “proceeded to mount Manzo on the couch holding Manzo down with her body, forcibly squeezed Manzo’s cheeks together and thrust her tongue in Manzo’s mouth, while humping her.” The suit also reportedly said that the alleged incident resurfaced Caroline’s “dormant and horrific memories” of her sexual assault that allegedly took place when she was 7 years old.
Caroline is suing Bravo, Peacock, and other production companies involved in the show for negligence, sexual harassment, sex/gender discrimination, and sexual battery, per Page Six. Caroline’s lawsuit blamed Bravo and the showrunners for encouraging Brandi’s “sexually offensive and harassing content.” Caroline is not suing Brandi.
Furthermore, Caroline claimed in the court docs that she left Morocco early because of the alleged incident, but RHUGT producers allegedly kept filming her until she got to the airport so they could “gather more ‘drama’ to increase their ratings.”
“We are outraged by Bravo, Peacock and NBC’s conduct and look forward to having the issues decided by a jury. Sexual harassment should never be entertainment!” Caroline’s attorney, Derek Smith, said in a statement to Page Six.
Hollywood Life has reached out to Bravo and Peacock for comment.
#RHUGT S4 CAST CONFIRMED:
Vicki Gunvalson
Gretchen Rossi
Brandi Glanville
Camille Grammer Meyer
Phaedra Parks
Eva Marcille
Alex McCord
Caroline Manzo
— Bravo (@BravoTV) January 9, 2023
Brandi previously denied Caroline’s allegations of sexual assault.
“I’m f***ing sick of this narrative,” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum wrote on Twitter on March 30, 2023. “I was hired for a 2nd season of girls trip cuz they LOVED what I did on 1st season I was told to bring the party just like before & that’s exactly what I did & Iwas punished for it. It feels like a f***ing set up. It’s BS & Caroline was fine,” she added.
The RHUGT season in Morocco completed filming at the end of January 2023, but it still has yet to air. Besides Caroline and Brandi, the other stars who went on the week-long trip to Africa included Alex McCord of RHONY, Phaedra Parks and Eva Marcille of RHOA, Vicki Gunvalson and Gretchen Rossi of RHOC, and Camille Grammer also of RHOBH.
At BravoCon in November 2023, Andy Cohen denied that the Morocco season was never going to air, after RHUGT: Legacy moved up in the release schedule despite being filmed after. “It’s there, it’s done and I hope everyone sees it soon,” he told The Wrap.
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