If walls could talk, Hugh Hefner would be in some trouble.
In the A&E docuseries Secrets of Playboy, which premieres Jan. 24, numerous individuals speak about their alleged experiences at the Playboy Mansion, where the founder hosted star-studded parties and lived with his girlfriends. And though it seemed like a place of endless fun and excitement, playmates such as Holly Madison and Sondra Theodore claim that bad things took place behind closed doors.
"The reason I think the mansion was very cult-like looking back on it is because we were all kind of gaslit and expected to think of Hef as like this really good guy," Madison, who dated Hefner from 2001 to 2008, says in episode two. "And you started to feel like, 'Oh, he's not what they say in the media, he's just a nice man.'"
In reality, Madison now believes she had Stockholm Disorder from living in the famed mansion, saying, "I felt like I was in this cycle of gross things and I didn't know what to do."
Madison isn't the only one sharing her story. Theodore, fellow Playmate Miki Garcia and more participate in the docu-series, alleging that Hefner was not the man he portrayed himself to be to the media.
Continue reading to learn everything shared in the new series.
In a statement to E! News, Playboy said, "The Hefner family is no longer associated with Playboy, and today's Playboy is not Hugh Hefner's Playboy. We trust and validate these women and their stories and we strongly support those individuals who have come forward to share their experiences. As a brand with sex positivity at its core, we believe safety, security, and accountability are paramount. The most important thing we can do right now is actively listen and learn from their experiences. Today, our organization is run by a workforce that is more than 80% female and 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 our employees and our communities."