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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Sam Elliott-Gibbs

Hugh Hefner's ex claims life in Playboy mansion was like living in a 'cult'

Hugh Hefner's former girlfriend says the Playboy Mansion was like a 'cult' and revealed most of his bunnies were given a whopping weekly allowance.

Holly Madison, who dated the eccentric millionaire between 2001 and 2008, has discussed some of the things that happened in his massive 22-bedroom home.

She said the women were "isolated from the outside world" but says Hugh, who died in 2017 aged 91, was a "nice man".

Holly has spoken about what went on behind closed doors at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in the upcoming series Secrets of a Playboy, which airs on Monday night.

Holly Madison was in a relationship with Hugh Hefner for seven years (FilmMagic)
She has been speaking about what happened behind closed doors as the Playboy Mansion (WireImage)

In it, she says the bunnies were given $1,000 each every week by Hugh, around £737 - but always had to be back by 9pm.

She said: "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.

"You started to feel like, 'Oh, he’s not what they say in the media — he’s just a nice man.

"Another thing that reminds me of a cult is how it was so easy to get isolated from the outside world there.

Hugh's bunnies were given a big weekly allowance so they didn't have to work (Getty Images)

"He said it made him jealous, and he would appreciate it if I quit my job - so, instead, we were given $1,000 a week as an allowance."

She added: “You had a 9 o’clock curfew, you were encouraged to not have friends over. You weren’t really allowed to leave unless it was, like, a family holiday.”

Following the founder's death five years ago, more secrets have emerged about his infamous home - from Hollywood stars' scandalous nights to 'sex rituals'.

Other revelations in the documentary include Hugh's regularly hosted 'Pig Night' sex parties, which reportedly saw 'carloads of women' brought to the Playboy mansion.

Secrets of Playboy will air on A&E on January 24 (AFP via Getty Images)

Holly recently talked about her 'traumatic' first night with legendary publisher Hugh and how he was 'literally pushed on top' of her.

She also claimed that he lashed out at her for cutting her hair too short.

Holly told the programme: “I came back with short hair, and he flipped out on me.

“He was screaming at me and said it made me look old, hard and cheap.”

The series also investigates reports of alleged drug use, sexual abuse and even bestiality that allegedly took place at the mansion and other Playboy venues.

Secrets of Playboy will be shown on A&E on January 24

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