Below Deck Sailing Yacht’s Gary King has been dealing with the fallout from sexual misconduct allegations for years, but the new lawsuit against him and the production company behind the series is revealing eye-opening new details. Gary, who’s been part of Captain Glenn Shephard’s crew both on and off the show since Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 2, has been a major part of the show. While he’s always been known as a playboy, Gary’s behavior has gotten more difficult with each ing season and culminated in a major sexual misconduct scandal between BDSY season 4 and BDSY season 5.

Samantha and Grey have both shared their experiences extensively in the suit.

While Gary has vehemently denied the allegations against him, which were shared by Below Deck franchise makeup artist Samantha Suarez, it’s become increasingly clear that there’s something he’s not sharing with viewers. Gary’s behavior made enough of an issue for Bravo to remove him from 2023’s BravoCon lineup, and then struggle to put out Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 because of his presence on the series. While Gary was ultimately kept in the season’s edit, his appearance was scaled back considerably throughout the show’s run. Gary himself commented on his lack of screentime and has slammed the series’ behavior.

Below Deck Makeup Artist Samantha Suarez Accused Gary King Of Misconduct In 2023

She Outlined The Incident Between Her & Gary

Throughout Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4’s run, many were open about the fact that Gary was rubbing them the wrong way in his behavior toward the women of the crew. Between his obvious jealousy that his longtime friends Colin MacRae and Daisy Kelliher were in a new relationship to the way he spoke to Mads Herrera, who he hooked up with during the season, it was clear that Gary’s relationships with women weren’t always healthy or equitable. Gary’s behavior throughout the season was questionable, and Below Deck Sailing Yacht viewers finally felt uncomfortable enough to speak up about it.

After BDSY season 4’s disastrous reunion, the crew including Gary went on to film Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 quickly, but just a short time into the filming schedule, Samantha’s allegations against Gary came to light. In a 2023 Rolling Stone article, Samantha alleged that Gary was sexually aggressive with her during a promotional shoot day. Explaining that Gary “came up behind her, grabbed her, pressed her against his body [wearing just his underwear], and refused to let go of her…[though] she tried to kick and elbow him,” she struggled to get away. Samantha’s accusations were a shock.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht's Gary King Has Consistently Denied The Allegations

He’s Been Adamant That Nothing Is True

Although serious allegations have been cast against Gary, he’s remained fairly positive since they came to light. Despite knowing that the allegations were damaging whether they were true or not, Gary has been vocal in dismissing the allegations and trying to move on with his life. While it’s clear that there’s more than meets the eye in of Gary’s dismissal of the comments themselves, his stance hasn’t budged since the beginning of the scandal. After being largely edited out of Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, Gary was open about how hurt he was to see his reputation damaged.

Samatha & A Fellow Crew Member's Lawsuit Reveals New Details Of Gary's Behavior

The Lawsuit Is Damaging For Gary & The Show

After Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, Samantha and longtime Below Deck camera operator Grey Duddleston were left in a difficult spot after their initial complaints about Gary were left unresolved. While Samantha came forward initially about her complaint, which was filed before Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4’s filming window, Grey hadn’t been publicly named yet, but was already feeling repercussions. The pair filed a lawsuit after the conclusion of Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, outlining the issues that arose both from Gary and from the production company, 51 Minds Entertainment, refusing to take action about Gary’s behavior.

According to the suit from Rolling Stone, “51 Minds and NBC have ed King every step of the way. But they know—just as he knows—that he is guilty as sin” in his actions toward Samantha and in other distasteful allegations, according to Grey. As a camera operator for the Below Deck franchise over the course of its run, Grey shared that during the fourth season of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, he witnessed some abhorrent behavior from Gary. This behavior included several s of non-consensual touching of fellow cast and crew, as well as lewd remarks angled toward cast and crew.

Below Deck & Gary Are Being Accused Of Several Serious Issues

Bravo Needs To Take Action Immediately

According to Samantha and Grey, when they chose to report the issues they’d experienced and noticed with Gary, 51 Minds Entertainment and Bravo didn’t do anything to protect them. Instead, after years with the team, after Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4, neither were asked back to their positions in the next season. The lawsuit claims that both believe “they are now on a ‘do not hire’ list and remain virtually unemployable in their field.” While Samantha and Grey have both shared their experiences extensively in the suit, they’re asking for a jury trial, hoping to ensure justice is served.

Sources: Gary King/Instagram, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone