Former “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Caroline Manzo sued the Bravo network on Friday following allegations of sexual harassment and assault from co-star Brandi Glanville.
In court documents obtained by FOX News Digital, the reality star claimed that “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Glanville “forcibly fondled Ms. Manzo's vagina and breasts.”
At the same time, Granville pressed her face into Manzo's neck to kiss him.
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New Jersey Housewife Caroline Manzo is suing Bravo over sexual harassment allegations. (Getty Images)
At the time, the two cast members were filming “The Real Housewives'' in Morocco.
During the incident, Glanville followed Manzo into the bathroom.
When the New Jersey housewife tried to escape, “Granville pushed Ms. Manzo's body against the door,” according to court documents. Manzo yelled for help, but no one came.
“The accused producers listened to the conversations on audio, and even sent one of them to the bathroom door to investigate, but he was unable to open the door or intervene to stop the sexual assault. and took no other action,” the complaint states.
Manzo appeared “visibly upset” as she recalled the alleged sexual encounter when she was sexually assaulted when she was seven years old.
“Ms. Granville's sexual assault instantly brought back all of these dormant and horrifying memories,” the document states. “Ms. Manzo felt like she was seven years old again and she began to relive her past sexual assault in the context of this sexual assault. She was in a state of shock. did.”
In her lawsuit, Manzo alleges that staff at Bravo Network and its affiliates (Forrest Productions, Warner Bros. Entertainment, NBCUniversal Media, Shed Media, Peacock TV) “regularly work with 'Real Housewives' “The actor forced the performers to drink alcohol, causing their mental state to deteriorate.” While heavily inebriated, he directs, encourages, or allows other cast members to sexually harass others because it benefits ratings. ”
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In court documents obtained by FOX News Digital, Caroline Manzo claimed that Bravo Network staff “encouraged” cast members to drink alcohol because it was “good for ratings.” (Photo provided by Santiago Felipe)
“Defendants even encouraged Ms. Glanville to become intoxicated on set, increasing the likelihood that she would engage in outrageous harassing behavior, thereby promoting Defendants' reputation with disregard for the rights and safety of those around them. “,” court documents state.
In court documents filed but not yet received through the court filing system, Manzo calls herself a “victim of harmful conduct.”
“This lawsuit aims to hold the defendants accountable for their misconduct and to deter them from continuing to sacrifice the safety of performers for their own ratings and profits.”
Granville is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
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Manzo filed the lawsuit after Brandi Glanville allegedly “forcibly fondled” the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star in 2023. (Photo provided by Dennis Trasello)
The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star shared a series of posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) in which she blamed the show's producers for the incident and her drinking.
“I'm completely innocent. Producers ask you to do something and you get in trouble for it!!! Producers have to follow the rules!” Granville wrote in one post. I wrote this:
Another wrote: “Producers may not force alcohol down our throats, but they certainly encourage it even during the day in Morocco, where drinking is illegal!” Ta.
In 2023, Glanville and Manzo prematurely finished filming Season 4 of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.
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People magazine, citing three sources close to the show, said Glanville had been kissing Manzo “unwantedly” throughout the night's filming.
“It was undesirable,” a source told the outlet. “And it seems like Caroline's distress over the matter didn't stop Brandi. Things escalated and allegedly crossed physical boundaries, which Caroline found deeply and offensive.”
Sources noted that production reported the incident to upper management on the show, but the series continued filming that night and into the morning.
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Granville noticed Manzo's discomfort and apologized via email the next morning, saying, “I'm sorry for making you feel uncomfortable.'' Manzo didn't reply.
The release date for season 4 of “Real Housewives: The Ultimate Girls' Trip'' has not yet been announced.
NBC production told Fox News Digital it would not comment on the matter, and representatives for Manzo and Glanville did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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