Ashley And Michael Darby Speak Out After ‘Previously Unseen Footage’ Aired On RHOP!

Sunday’s episode of Real Housewives of Potomac ended by airing previously unseen footage that appeared to show Ashley Darby's husband Michael Darby seconds after an incident that a cameraman alleged to be sexual assault.

After the episode aired, Michael released a public statement. “On one hand, I was amused by the production company’s amateurish attempt to affect the viewers opinion by first showing video that clearly does not show any improper action by me and then try to couple that with another video which was taken 4 hours later by a different cameraman of a conversation with a cousin of a cast member — not the cameraman — who whenever I see him refers to a well-documented, harmless event that occurred in season one,” Michael told PEOPLE. “On the other hand it shows the level people will stoop to in order to get ratings.”

“This was a serious situation where an employee of the production company tried to take advantage of my wife and I by making up a story to try to profit from it,” Michael added. “The fact that the production company appears to endorse his actions by splicing together disconnected and unrelated events in order to also profit is really scary for people in my position.”

Meanwhile, Michael's wife, Ashley took to Instagram, in a now-deleted post where she came in her husband's defense. “The production footage didn’t reveal anything new. Michael said what happened and it was proven. Also, the supposed audio at the end was a joke that a cast member’s cousin makes to Michael all the time, and that’s who Michael is talking to. Of course that isn’t noted. Anyways, this was addressed by the legitimate legal system and Michael was exonerated.,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, a representative for Truly Original, RHOP‘s production company, responded to PEOPLE about Michael’s claims on Monday:

“Pertaining to Michael Darby’s scenes in last night’s Real Housewives of Potomac, there was no manipulation of audio or video; the footage that aired in last night’s episode depicted events exactly as they occurred,” they said in a statement to PEOPLE.

Photo Credit: Bravo