A rapey scene between two Bachelor in Paradise contestants was so disturbing to a female producer that ABC halted production on the series on Sunday. The network cited concerns of “sexual misconduct”.
DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios were reportedly drunk when they peeled off their clothes and had intercourse in a swimming pool in full view of their cast mates and cameras in Mexico.
The scandal erupted on Monday with Jackson’s friends and the accuser giving their versions of the story. Jackson’s friends say he was drinking but he wasn’t drunk. Jackson believed everything was fine since Olympius was the aggressor and initiated the sexual activity.
The show’s longtime host Chris Harrison spoke out about the allegations of sexual misconduct in a statement to People magazine.
“Let me start by saying the safety and care of the cast and crew of our show is of the utmost importance to us,” he said. “It is with this thought in mind that we made the decision to suspend filming. An investigation into the situation was started immediately,” he continued. “Warner Bros. is handling the details of that investigation. They’re moving quickly to gather all the facts, and once that’s done, a clear, concise decision can be made about where we go from here.”
The cast flew home from Puerto Vallarta on Sunday. Some of them complained that producers should have stepped in and stopped the action before it got out of hand.
