Love Is Blind's Renee Poche Strikes Back

Renee Poche's Lawsuit Against Netflix and Delirium

Love Is Blind season 5's Renee Poche chose to strike back with a lawsuit of her own against Netflix and the series production company, Delirium, alleging she was made to be emotionally distressed and that the series violated labor laws. While Love Is Blind season 5 featured several couples, Renee and Carter Wall were shocked to find themselves cut from the series during its initial airing. Though their relationship didn't make it through the season, they were filmed and shared the experience together, so both were stunned to find that they barely appeared on Love Is Blind at all.

Love Is Blind with legal docs in the background

In an 'explosive' lawsuit shared by Variety, Renee shared the horrors she faced during Love Is Blind season 5 and afterward. According to Renee, she 'felt like a prisoner and had no support when I let Delirium know that I didn’t feel safe. I tried to deal with these emotions over time and eventually felt like I needed to share what had happened.' The lawsuit accuses Netflix and Delirium of 'intentional infliction of emotional distress along with violations of various California labor and civic codes' and hopes to nullify Renee's contract with the series, which prevents her from speaking publicly.

Renee allegedly suffered unspeakable horrors at the hands of Netflix and Delirium, who initiated legal arbitration against Renee after she spoke out about her experience while under contract, which caused her enormous financial strain. This is just one of the many issues lawyers have found facing reality TV stars in recent years. According to Renee's lawyers, 'At first I thought that these reality contracts were some sort of prank...what Renee suffered...is not just rampant but part of a dirty industry secret. We fully expect thousands of claimants to come forward when they realize that these so-called contracts are not just illusory but also illegal.'

Instagram article posted by missreneepoche

Reality TV Stars' Legal Battles

Renee's allegations against Netflix and Delirium add to the growing list of complaints by reality TV stars against the show and its production company. In 2023, Love Is Blind season 5's Tran Dang filed her own lawsuit against the series and Delirium, alleging mistreatment and sexual harassment during her time on the series. Love Is Blind season 2's Jeremy Hartwell expressed issues of his own in a lawsuit against the series in 2022, and fellow Love Is Blind season 2 participants Nick Thompson and Danielle Ruhl have both spoken out about the unfair treatment they felt they received by production.

While Love Is Blind has been one of Netflix's most-watched series since its premiere in 2020, things have not been going well for the team behind the scenes in recent years. With Renee's allegations added on top of the many other complaints they've received from past participants, Love Is Blind is facing some tremendous legal issues moving forward. While Netflix is still moving forward with Love Is Blind season 6, it may be a good time for the streamer to re-evaluate how the show is being produced to avoid further legal troubles.

Love Is Blind Season 6 and Future Implications

Love Is Blind season 6 premieres February 14 on Netflix. Despite the legal issues faced by the show and its production company, Netflix is moving forward with the new season. However, Renee's lawsuit and the numerous complaints from past participants have raised concerns about the show's production and treatment of its contestants. It may be a good time for Netflix to re-evaluate its production practices to ensure the well-being and fair treatment of all participants, as well as to avoid further legal troubles in the future.