Emile Kotze, a former cast member of the reality TV series Below Deck, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $850 million in damages from NBCUniversal and the show's producers, accusing them of defamation, sexual harassment, and manipulation during his time on the program.

Kotze filed the lawsuit in federal court in New York. In the complaint, he claims producers portrayed him as "immature" and "sexually aggressive," which he says harmed his reputation and career, TMZ reported.

According to the filing, Kotze joined the show's third season in 2015 when he was 23 years old.

The South African deckhand says he agreed to appear on the series because he believed it would be filmed as a documentary about life working on a yacht.

Instead, Kotze alleges he was pulled into a reality TV format focused on drama. His lawsuit claims producers pushed him into situations meant to create controversy and boost ratings.

He says the production team encouraged heavy drinking and set up awkward or humiliating moments on camera.

Kotze also claims the show created a fake romantic storyline between him and castmate Raquel "Rocky" Dakota.

Emile Kotze Says Producers Crafted False Image

According to the complaint, these scenes were later edited in what Kotze describes as a "highly misleading manner."

He alleges the final version of the show crafted a false image of him that damaged how viewers saw him.

Kotze says the experience had lasting consequences. In court documents, he claims the portrayal led to him being blacklisted from the yachting industry, where he had worked professionally as a deckhand.

According to DailyMail, the lawsuit also describes the emotional toll the experience allegedly caused.

Kotze says he suffered severe psychological trauma and was later diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, which he links directly to his time on the show.

He argues the production misled him about the nature of the project and then edited footage in ways that harmed his career and personal life.

NBCUniversal and the show's producers strongly dispute the claims. In court filings, the company argues that the case should be dismissed.

The defendants say many of Kotze's allegations fall outside the legal time limit for filing claims. They also argue the lawsuit lacks strong factual evidence.

In their response, NBCUniversal said the complaint attempts to restrict the network's creative rights.

The filing states the claims "should be dismissed as a matter of law because they are time-barred, facially deficient, and otherwise impermissibly seek to restrict Defendants' First Amendment rights to shape and convey their creative works."

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Sexual Harassment