Bravo and Andy Cohen Settle Leah McSweeney Lawsuit

McSweeney, a former Real Housewives of New York City cast member, sued Bravo, Cohen and others in 2024. She alleged that people involved in the show pushed her to drink again after she had relapsed shortly before filming began in 2019, and later regained sobriety. She said the pressure was intended to create more dramatic television and increase ratings. Cohen and Bravo denied wrongdoing.

The settlement amount has not been disclosed. McSweeney withdrew the case with prejudice, a dismissal agreed to by all parties that bars her from bringing the same claims again. The resolution avoids a courtroom trial that would have been Bravo’s first involving a cast member.

The lawsuit also included claims about how McSweeney was treated on set, including allegations that producers made remarks about her alcohol use and prevented her from attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings during filming. A judge allowed some parts of the case to proceed while dismissing most claims.

McSweeney later accused Cohen and Bravo of encouraging cast members to criticize her publicly after she filed suit. Cohen and the network disputed her allegations. Her lawyer, Gary Adelman, said he was satisfied with the outcome and praised McSweeney’s perseverance. Cohen had denied McSweeney’s separate allegation that he used cocaine with cast members.