Married contestants Jonathan and Ana Towns from season 37 of The Amazing Race have filed an $8 million defamation lawsuit against CBS, Paramount, and producers, claiming misleading editing portrayed Jonathan as abusive while omitting context about his autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. The third-place finishers seek damages, a public apology, and re-editing of episodes with disclaimers.
Jonathan and Ana Towns, married parents who finished third in season 37 of The Amazing Race (aired spring 2025), have filed a lawsuit against CBS, parent company Paramount, producers ABC Signature, and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. The suit, reported by Deadline and TMZ, alleges defamation through 'decontextualized' and inflammatory footage that falsely depicted Jonathan as a 'morally depraved, brutal, and abusive spouse' to millions of viewers, while omitting 'material exculpatory and humanizing content.'
During the season, Jonathan was shown in heated exchanges with Ana, including calling her a 'terrible partner' amid challenges, which drew fan backlash for apparent mistreatment. The lawsuit claims producers applied footage asymmetrically and ignored Jonathan's observable emotional distress. Post-race, Jonathan revealed his autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, previously unknown to all parties. He explained: 'Looking back at what I was seeing, and knowing what I know about myself now, it’s so hard for me to be supportive and helpful to somebody when my brain is in this overheated state. When I’m on The Race, unlike when I’m at home, I cannot control the external factors... people like me rely on routines in order to help us regulate our emotions and to control the amount of stimulus.'
The couple seeks $8 million in damages, punitive damages, a public apology, formal corrections, and re-editing of episodes with 'appropriate disclaimers' about Jonathan's condition. Ana has publicly defended Jonathan. CBS has not commented on the filing, made nearly a year after the season finale.
