Holly Madison Claims Her Relationship With Hugh Hefner Was "Abusive"
In the new A&E docuseries Secrets of Playboy, Holly Madison did not hold back her experiences of living with her former partner Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion.
The model, 42, famously dated Hugh Hefner between 2001 and 2008. During this period she appeared in the reality show Girls Next Door. This isn't the first time she has revealed the dark period of her life. In 2015, she spoke out about her relationship in her book Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny. Madison is now a happy mother of two who hopes speaking out about her abuse will help others.
Holly Madison Reveals The Dark Side Of Playboy
Madison was the focus of the second episode of the docuseries', where she shared how she entered the "dangerous" Playboy world in her early 20s, how she became one of Hefner's longtime girlfriends and why she left after filming five seasons of E!'s Girls Next Door.
"I think I was drawn to try to be in spotlight because I felt like, if I could be famous, that could be a shortcut to feeling a connection with people. Because we feel connected to celebrities," Alaskan born Madison explains. She also cites Anna Nicole Smith, Jenny McCarthy and Pamela Anderson as inspirations, all of which started as Playmates.
She also details being offered illegal substances on her first night out with Hefner and other Playmates. Furthermore, she also described the environment Hefner had built as "very cult-like." He would pit women against each other and encouraged them to get plastic surgery.
"I think I definitely thought I was in love with Hef but it was very Stockholm syndrome, very Stockholm syndrome," she admits, believing she only fell for him because she was kept captive in the Playboy mansion.
Playboy Denounces Allegations Against Hugh Hefner
After Madison disclosed the realities of living the apparent glamorous Playboy life, Playboy denounced the 'abhorrent actions' and detailed their commitment to positive change.
"First and foremost, we want to say: we trust and validate women and their stories, and we strongly support the individuals who have come forward to share their experiences," the statement read. "As a brand with sex positivity at its core, we believe safety, security and accountability are paramount, and anything less is inexcusable."
Since Hefner's death in 2017, aged 91, the Hefner family is no longer associated with Playboy. It is now made up of more than 80% female employees.
"Together we are building upon the aspects of our legacy that have made a positive impact, including serving as a platform for free expression and a convener of safe conversations on sex, inclusion and freedom. We will continue to confront any parts of our legacy that do not reflect our values today, and to build upon the progress we have made as we evolve as a company so we can drive positive change for you and our communities," the statement continued.
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