A new E! documentary has reopened painful memories and legal scars from The Price Is Right’s past, with former models and a producer alleging a culture of harassment during the Bob Barker era — claims Barker’s longtime representative calls untrue. The two-part Dirty Rotten Scandals special, released March 17–18, reunites testimony that helped spark lawsuits and industry scrutiny decades ago.
What the doc says — who spoke and when
Dirty Rotten Scandals features interviews with former models Kathleen Bradley, Holly Hallstrom and Dian Parkinson, plus former producer Barbara Hunter. In clips shared by People and aired by E! on March 18, each recalls instances of inappropriate touching, gawking and a workplace culture that left women feeling ignored when they complained.
Bradley described men on set staring and, in one episode, a stagehand who “would rub up against us,” which she said producers did not address. Hunter said she once pushed a man away in an elevator and later struck a stagehand in the groin with golf clubs after repeated harassment. Hallstrom described a so-called “10‑second rule” allegedly adopted after complaints — a policy she called a token appeasement because no one enforced it.
Allegations, lawsuits and denials
Former model Dian Parkinson’s long‑publicized sexual harassment suit — an $8 million claim filed in 1994 and withdrawn in 1995 — is revisited in the doc. Parkinson previously alleged that Barker forced her into sex acts during a relationship and threatened her job. Barker denied the allegations at the time, saying Parkinson “aggressively pursued” him.
Hallstrom also revisits legal fights: Barker sued her for libel and slander after she said she was fired for gaining weight; he dropped that suit 48 hours before trial and Hallstrom countersued for wrongful termination and malicious prosecution.
Context: Barker’s life and the show’s legacy
The program places those workplace accusations alongside more personal recollections of Barker. Producers and colleagues tell of his intense grief after the 1981 death of his wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon, and a period when friends say he contemplated suicide. Hallstrom and others in the doc say that grief was followed by a shift in Barker’s public and private persona.
Barker retired from The Price Is Right in 2007 and died in August 2023 at age 99. Fremantle, the show’s production company, declined to comment to outlets covering the doc. Barker’s longtime representative, Roger Neal, issued a statement to USA Today on March 18 calling Barker “beloved” and “the greatest MC in TV history,” and denying the recent allegations.
Reaction and what comes next
The documentary has reignited debate about how long‑standing workplace complaints were handled in daytime TV and prompted fresh attention to old court records and interviews. Hallstrom said she is grateful the documentary allows fans to hear “what really happened.”
The two‑episode Dirty Rotten Scandals aired on E! at 9 p.m. ET/PT on March 18; viewers can expect the program to prompt renewed public discussion about on‑set behavior, earlier lawsuits, and how studios respond when harassment is alleged. No new lawsuits have been reported in connection with the doc as of its release.