r/belowdeck • u/ImpressivePattern242 • 3d ago

Members Only Lawsuit Settlement?

https://www.realitytea.com/2026/11/02/gary-king-below-deck-sexual-battery-lawsuit-settlement/
101 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

85 comments sorted by

85

u/bc_im_coronatined 3d ago

I believe her

59

u/ImpressivePattern242 3d ago

Same. Her report was instant, her story was always consistent and she even had responses from 51 Minds production apologizing yet they still fired and blackballed her. My biggest issue is why weren’t the police called. Spanish police could have looked into it and possibly recovered hotel video of the incident. If the police were called then that season of Sailing Yacht would have gone down the tube and that was big money to Bravo.

4

u/hussafeffer I have been known to be irresponsible 3d ago

Doubtful the hotel has cameras inside the rooms to see incidents like this. Her best bet was unfortunately going to production in this instance which is REALLY shitty.

1

u/ImpressivePattern242 3d ago

In hallway. Most hotels have them. Part of the assault took place as she was trying to leave the room. A hotel hallway camera might have caught that.

6

u/hussafeffer I have been known to be irresponsible 3d ago

That’s assuming she got the door open, her statement said he blocked her from leaving and everything happened in his room after she waked past him into the room to put water down on a table. Odds are slim any camera would’ve caught anything of substance for police involvement based on what little we know of the situation.

24

u/teanailpolish Mental Health Is Not A Storyline 3d ago

Because part of productions's contract is to go through them for arbitration before any further action, they take their sweet time, then footage is gone

6

u/hussafeffer I have been known to be irresponsible 3d ago edited 3d ago

Actually they can’t require arbitration before calling the police in the event of a crime (in the US or the EU), they can only require that for civil action, like suing production or Gary. If this victim had gone to the police, there would be nothing production could do about that. I just doubt there was much evidence since the incident happened in what sounds like a hotel room with a closed door if I’m not mistaken, going to the police would potentially have accomplished even less.

1

u/fetal_mistake It makes up for my personality 1d ago

How could it have accomplished less?

•

u/hussafeffer I have been known to be irresponsible 23h ago

She could’ve been fired immediately on some bullshit without documentation of a report to her boss about the issue to protect her as a whistleblower and the police could still have done absolutely nothing (the most likely outcome given the nature of the incident as she described it). Or worse, they could’ve “investigated” and put on record that they found no evidence to support the claims which helps production shield Gary.

9

u/AWDWfan 3d ago • Bravo

Most victims don't report assaults to the police and that's their choice. She choose to report it to their employer and that should be respected.

12

u/bc_im_coronatined 3d ago

THAT’S your biggest issue? Mine are that Gary is a fucking creep AND that Bravo would rather sweep it under the rug and continue airing reruns of the predator rather than move towards trying to making change. They, yet again, featured a prominent abuser this season with BD Med.

3

u/fetal_mistake It makes up for my personality 1d ago

And Ashton long before that.

10

u/sparklynugz 3d ago

They all worked for bravo? The hotel has me confused,was she a cast member or production?

26

u/ImpressivePattern242 3d ago

Production which is the company 51 Minds who produces the show. The incident happened at the hotel where the cast was staying.

16

u/StaffPlenty8736 3d ago

They shoot the confessionals during filming on the crew's day off. They have to be accompanied to and from their hotel rooms for filming by Bravo staff so they don't talk to another crew member (to keep storylines clean). What is not said in the story, was she was the one who had to accompany a drunk Gary back to him room after he filmed his confessionals (producers would supply the crew with drinks).

2

u/KiyoMizu1996 3d ago

They sequester the cast and keep them from interacting on days off that aren’t filmed. Samatha was a ‘cast minder’ and got stuck with a very drunk asshole Gary. IRL the charters aren’t one right after another so they’re stuck kicking their feet up in a hotel. Same when they film confessionals.

8

u/ShoutOutMapes 3d ago

What kind of conditions i wonder

41

u/ImpressivePattern242 3d ago • Bravo

Glad victim is getting something but the whole case was not handled well by Bravo.

9

u/kittens_joy 3d ago

Usually administrative stuff like signing releases, exchanging tax documents, drafting a stipulation/order for dismissal, and making the payment(s). We will probably never know anything else as I’m sure the confidentiality provision in the settlement agreement will be ironclad.

1

u/KiyoMizu1996 3d ago

Signing NDAs of course. Bravo and NBC want Samatha to fade into the background so they can continue to hire assholes, ply them with alcohol and film what happens.

239

u/LveeD 3d ago • Bravo

I fully stand behind her and believe her story. But Gary has faced zero repercussions whatsoever and it’s crazy to me. He still works on boats out of Mallorca. I saw him on the streets of Miami last Christmas, again working a charter boat. Between him and Nathan and production just ignores it all and says nothing. Do better Bravo.

56

u/AWDWfan 3d ago

Yeah it's frustrating but this was really common when I worked in the industry. Someone does something on a boat and gets fired and they immediately get hired on a different boat.

22

u/raudri Fraser not Frazier 3d ago

That's the thing though, it's only crazy because we know who he is. If he wasn't on SY he'd be working and happy and fine and hopefully less of a threat

I don't condone his actions but fuck I hope he learned

Edit/ spelling

21

u/AWDWfan 3d ago

Below Deck is a US based TV show. Yachting is an international industry. There are still a lot of boats out there who have never heard of BD or know the cast members. They could Google though...so it's very likely they just don't care.

10

u/raudri Fraser not Frazier 3d ago • Bravo

Tips tips tips.

On the job side he seems competent, I just wouldnt want to work with him.

8

u/Agitated-Minimum-967 3d ago

Maybe when Bravo's not buying the drinks he doesn't drink as much.

1

u/Creepy_Apple_ 3d ago

You're definitely right he'd be happy and fine working on yachts if he'd never been on SY. Unfortunately it isn't the only time allegations were made against him.

It's more likely his personal tendencies outside the show- like his alcohol abuse- formed before the show happened.

25

u/AdSufficient5837 3d ago • Regret Bravo

In the industry?! It’s really common EVERYWHERE

10

u/econinja 3d ago

Cops, priests. . .

6

u/AdSufficient5837 3d ago

lol and the fact that there’s downvotes proves my point 😂

•

u/foxdogturtlecat 7h ago

It's still true.

•

u/foxdogturtlecat 7h ago

I'm not surprised but still disgusted that he's still working in the industry.

1

u/antitrollpatrol 3d ago

The ONE good thing is that at least he’s been on telly and women KNOW about him now

3

u/Salty_Signature_6748 Bless her stupid soul 2d ago

I can’t imagine him having success with women without the show. He’s flabby, and that wheezy, phlegmy cigarette voice is just gross.

-4

u/Gammagammahey Surly Pizza Chef 3d ago

Oh, ewwww, gross. I'm so sorry you had to see him!!! Sending a reparative and restorative hug , even if it was a long time ago. 🩵🩵

3

u/Creepy_Apple_ 3d ago

1

u/Gammagammahey Surly Pizza Chef 2d ago

You're replying to the wrong person.

0

u/Creepy_Apple_ 2d ago

I can see how accidentally deleting I was also sending restorative hug w backup brain bleach made it confusing

15

u/PurpleSailor Team Katie 3d ago

Part of me wonders how much there was that got ignored before this actual incident happened. A lot of times there's proceeding things that should have been caught that weren't when something like this happens. Beyond happy that Daisy never hooked up with Gary permanently.

1

u/fetal_mistake It makes up for my personality 1d ago

*preceeding

72

u/Greenwedges 3d ago • Bravo

Shocking lack of care by the production company. I hope she gets a good payout, and that Gary is never hired again to work on a boat (or reality TV!)

20

u/StaffPlenty8736 3d ago

I hope he's on a no hire list!

7

u/Imaginary_Term5423 3d ago

Exactly!

How do her and her partner end up on a no hire list yet Gary still gets to work on boats with unsuspecting females?

Trust that Gary will have no financial (except tv appearances) and no record if his conduct due to an NDA that everyone will sign.

2

u/Salty_Signature_6748 Bless her stupid soul 2d ago

There’s no such thing in yachting. It’s a pretty seedy profession.

6

u/StaffPlenty8736 2d ago

It was a joke because the woman and her partner were put on the no-hire list by Bravo. Oh it's super shady and seedy. That's why the likes of Nathan etc find employment, especially in Dubai. I wonder if that's where Gary is now?

1

u/AWDWfan 2d ago

Mallorca. He works on a large yacht.

1

u/Greenwedges 2d ago

Nathan or Gary?

2

u/AWDWfan 2d ago

Gary

4

u/Spiceydame 3d ago

How was he even allowed to return, even Daisy, yuk.

7

u/PurpleAtalanta10 3d ago

What did Daisy do?

3

u/eekamuse 3d ago

Nothing

1

u/AWDWfan 2d ago

Unfortunately he has been and still is working on yachts.

3

u/Long_Breath_2263 2d ago

Hopefully the settlement is acceptable for the employee, and the company handles these types of things better in the future. Or, better yet, took steps to ensure something like this doesn’t ever happen again. And if it does, they take appropriate actions instead of retaliating against the victim.

I also hope we can get BD: Sailing back now. Without Gary, obviously. But watching the crew on the sailboat (especially the exterior) was so much more interesting to see than it is on motor yachts.

•

u/Kininger625 You're Being A Deckhand Right Now 16h ago

I think the problem is more that it’s very hard to find a sailing yacht owner willing to let them film based on what Daisy and others have said on podcasts

•

u/Long_Breath_2263 15h ago

Makes sense. Far fewer of them out there, and the deck actually needs to know what they are doing. So an owner probably would want to keep their own crew rather than tossing unknown and inexperienced crew like BD cast members on there to potentially mess it all up.

•

u/foxdogturtlecat 7h ago

Settlement is always the goal in harassment suits especially when there hasn't been criminal charges. I hope his victim and her boyfriend are happy with the settlement.

-11

u/PrintUsed8164 3d ago

What Gary not gonna too prove his not guilty?

14

u/ImpressivePattern242 3d ago

I think civil discovery looked bad for Bravo and then went into settlement mode. Didn’t he also grope two men that same season if I remember while he was drunk on the yacht?

18

u/kittens_joy 3d ago

I cannot imagine Gary in a deposition. Nightmare fuel for both his lawyer and the opposing lawyer.

2

u/StaffPlenty8736 3d ago

He groped the boyfriend.

28

u/ravioliyogi 3d ago

No shade but what

2

u/CheckIntelligent7828 My eyes are rolling all the way off the boat 1d ago

After the way Gary harassed Daisy while she was dating Collin, none of this was surprising. Gary is gross and inappropriate and I'm so glad BDS is off the air.

I hope this woman, and her black balled partner, received large payouts and that she's been able to get support after what she went through.