Bravo and Andy Cohen settle lawsuit with Leah McSweeney

Bravo and executive producer Andy Cohen have reached a settlement with Leah McSweeney, a former cast member of “The Real Housewives of New York City.” McSweeney had filed a lawsuit in January 2024, alleging that the network and Cohen exploited her alcohol addiction to increase television ratings.

McSweeney claimed that producers pressured her to drink despite her efforts to maintain sobriety and used harassing tactics to undermine her mental health. The legal filings alleged that producers joked about her alcohol use disorder, coached other cast members to disparage her, and prevented her from attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings during filming.

While a New York judge previously ruled that Bravo held a First Amendment right to require talent to drink excessively, he noted the network should answer for the methods used to encourage McSweeney to drink. McSweeney has withdrawn the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning she cannot refile the claims in the future.