These Love is Blind former cast members are speaking out about the treatment received during the show. HOLR is breaking down the latest.
Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson from Love is Blind (LIB) Season 2 are speaking out about their experiences following the show’s wrap on Season 4. The duo- who got married on LIB Season 2 but have since gotten divorced- have taken to their respective social media platforms to touch on how they were treated during their time on the show.
Love is Blind Season 2
Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson joined other LIB Season 2 castmates; Abhishek “Shake” Chatterjee and Deepti Vempati, Kyle Abrams and Shaina Hurley, Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones, and Natalie Lee and Shayne Jansen.
Love is Blind Cast
Danielle and Nick from a previous season of LIB are not holding back when it comes to touching on their experience during Season 2.
Check out Danielle’s TikTok video below.
@dnellruhl Responding to the Insider article discussing some of the BTS of filming LIB. #loveisblind #loveisblindnetflix
Throughout the video, Danielle goes into detail about how there was a psych eval before she was casted on the show that determines if you are mentally fit to take part in LIB. She didn’t feel as if the team properly evaluated her based on previous thoughts and experiences, which raised some internal red flags. She also claims producers brought up past trauma to get a reaction out of contestants.
During her honeymoon in Mexico with Nick, she also claims production did not let her go to the group party last minute due to her supposedly having COVID. Danielle had to stay back but the team did not fulfill Nick’s request to leave someone with her that she trusted, instead leaving her alone in the room with anxiety.
When Nick returned she refused to be filmed or miked but production sent Nick in miked up to get Danielle’s reaction without disclosing this fact. This caused Nick to throw his mike at producers, telling them the two wanted to leave.
When Danielle disclosed having suicidal thoughts, she claimed production tried to convince them to stay but did not provide a therapist. However, Danielle was worried about the $50,000 fine for leaving which was a thought in the back of her head as she decided to stay on the show. Overall, she wished that the production team had let her leave in Mexico because her experience and Nick’s experience were impacted as a result.
Nick also made a TikTok video detailing his experience.
@nickthompson513 “You signed up for it.” -Random Internet Person. I signed up for a “psychologically-based” love experiment sold as “different from other reality shows.” Love is Blind S1 made a believer out of me, and I thought the experience could work for me if I went with good intentions and stayed true to myself. The “vetting” process included psych tests and evaluations, background checks, and assurance the cast members selected is “ready for marriage.” The psychologist that conducted my evaluation even spoke with my therapist to verify the ethics and conditions of the show out of concern it would diminish progress made on my mental health journey. None of this was true. I lost 15 pounds in the three weeks in the Pods and Mexico from limited access to food and water. Aside from the “psych evaluation,” there was no mental health support before, during, or after. Thankfully I had the luxury of a therapist once we were back in Chicago and post-show. In Mexico, producers withheld my partner experienced a panic attack and sent me into the hotel room to film anyway. If there were mental health professionals on set, as Kinetic claims, wouldn’t a person suffering from a panic attack be an appropriate time to utilize them? You are isolated from everyone and virtually everything for days at a time with no phone, internet, communication with family and friends, or other cast members. Finally, the pay equates to roughly $7.14 per hour and the promise of a social media following. That’s it. If you haven’t experienced realityTV firsthand, you have no idea what you’re signing up for. I did not sign up for this. This is why I’m a founding board member of the @the_ucan_foundation, a not-for-profit organization that offers cast members access to mental health and contract review services. #Loveisblind #LoveisBlinfnetflix #realitytv #realitytvdatingshow #loveisblindseason1 #loveisblindseason2 #loveisblindseason3 #loveisblindseason4 #RealBTS #UCANFoundation #RealityTV #MentalHealth #Advocacy #Support #netflix
Danielle’s husband Nick also echoed her TikTok with experiences of his own during filming, claiming:
- Having limited access to food/water
- Receiving no mental health support before or after the show
- Not being told your partner had a panic attack and encouraging you to film
- Isolating yourself from people- even your own fiancée at times
- Receiving low pay
Published by HOLR Magazine.