Bravo TV and Leah McSweeney and have reportedly reached a settlement, bringing an end to the former Real Housewives of New York City star’s bombshell lawsuit against the network and EP, Andy Cohen.
According to Page Six, Leah has withdrawn her lawsuit, which accused Bravo and Andy Cohen of exploiting her struggles with alcohol addiction for better television ratings. The financial terms of the reported settlement have not been disclosed.
“We are extremely satisfied with the outcome. We are proud of Leah and her perseverance,” her attorney, Gary Adelman of Adelman Matz, told the outlet.
Leah alleged that Bravo producers deliberately encouraged her to drink despite knowing about her history with alcohol addiction. The former RHONY personality claimed production believed her drinking would make her a more entertaining cast member.
The lawsuit also accused producers of making jokes about her drinking problems, taunting her about her alcohol use disorder, and encouraging other cast members to bring up her mental health and substance abuse struggles on camera.
Leah further claimed that producers promised she could attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings while filming RHUGT, only to tell her she couldn’t once production began.
The legal battle reached a significant milestone in November 2024, when a New York judge heard arguments in what could have become Bravo’s first courtroom trial against a cast member. Judge Lewis Liman determined that Bravo had First Amendment protections regarding its programming, but allowed McSweeney’s claims about allegedly abusive production practices to move forward.
The lawsuit also made headlines after Leah accused Andy Cohen of using cocaine with certain favored Housewives. Cohen denied the allegations and, through his attorney, accused McSweeney of attempting a “shakedown.” He demanded that she withdraw the claim and apologize. McSweeney never issued an apology, and Cohen did not file a separate lawsuit.
