According to reports Friday, The Real Housewives of Potomac’s Michael Darby, husband to housewife Ashley Darby, has been suspended from filming after an alleged incident of sexual assault against a crew member on September 1. According to Deadline, cameraman Orville Palmer says Darby allegedly groped him on set while making the reality show. Palmer later reported the assault to his supervisor.
In response to the news, Bravo and production company Truly Original confirmed its decision to suspend all filming of Darby and pointed to the guidelines already in place to deal with workplace harassment and misconduct. “Bravo has comprehensive policies and guidelines relating to the safety of cast and crew which production companies are required to follow, in addition to their own protocols they have in place,†said the network’s statement. “We take all allegations seriously and then proceed accordingly with our producing partners. Bravo and Truly Original, the production company for The Real Housewives of Potomac, have suspended filming with Michael Darby.â€