Sexual Abuse Allegations Comes For Another Hollywood Star
16 Jun, 2018
AMC has pulled Chris Hardwick’s talk show after an allegation of sexual assault from his ex-girlfriend Chloe Dykstra.
“We have had a positive working relationship with Chris Hardwick for many years,” said the network in a statement on Saturday. “We take the troubling allegations that surfaced yesterday very seriously. While we assess the situation, Talking with Chris Hardwick will not air on AMC, and Chris has decided to step aside from moderating planned AMC and BBC America panels at Comic-Con International in San Diego next month.”
The network’s decision comes as Talking with Chris Hardwick was set to return on Sunday.
AMC has been under pressure to pull Hardwick since Dykstra’s accusations came to light late Thursday. In a lengthy essay posted to Medium, Dykstra shared disturbing allegations from a relationship with a man who was believed to be Hardwick, accusing that man of abuse and sexual assault. She did not name Hardwick in her post.
Still, Hardwick was swiftly scrubbed of all references from the website he co-founded, Nerdist, the following day. Hardwick is CEO of Nerdist Industries, though the company said he had no operational involvement in recent years. Legendary Entertainment acquired Nerdist in July 2012 and said it was investigating the claims.
Hardwick addressed the allegations directly later that night, saying he took the day to consider how to respond. Denying the claim of sexual assault, he said, in part, “I’m devastated to read that she is now accusing me of conduct that did not occur. I was blindsided by her post and always wanted the best for her. As a husband, a son, and future father, I do not condone any kind of mistreatment of women.”
Hardwick had already been announced to moderate a Doctor Who panel for BBC America and continues to have an overall deal at AMC where he hosts The Walking Dead post-show, Talking Dead. Fear the Walking Dead just wrapped its midseason run; the flagship doesn’t return until October.
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