June 17 (UPI) — AMC has announced Chris Hardwick’s talk show will not air while the cable network investigates allegations of abuse made against the comedian by his ex-girlfriend, TV personality Chloe Dykstra.
“We have had a positive working relationship with Chris Hardwick for many years,” AMC said in a statement 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.”
NBC, which airs Hardwick’s game show The Wall, also said it is investigating the allegations and considers its next move.
“These allegations about Chris Hardwick took us by surprise as we have had a positive working relationship with him. However, we take allegations of misconduct very seriously. Production on The Wall does not begin until September, and in the meantime we are continuing to assess the situation and will take appropriate action based on the outcome,” NBC said in a statement.
Dykstra posted an essay to Medium late Thursday, recalling how she suffered alleged sexual, emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of a man she dated for three years. She also said she was blacklisted from working at certain outlets after the breakup because of her influential ex.
“I want this to be two things. Number One: Closure. I’m approaching my thirties, finding stability, and quite simply, I want this out of me. But more importantly, Number Two: A warning,” she said in her Medium essay.
Dykstra received well wishes of support, while AMC was pressured to drop Hardwick from its airwaves.
“I quietly posted an article today, unlisted on Medium. It clearly made the rounds. I’m overwhelmed and I want to thank all of you for your support and kind words- they mean so much to me. I may take some time off the internet, please know your support means everything to me,” she tweeted Friday.
Although she does not mention Hardwick by name, her description of the boyfriend and the time when her alleged ordeal took place suggest it is Hardwick whom she is speaking about.
Hardwick also responded to her essay in his own statement.
“I was heartbroken to read Chloe’s post,” Hardwick wrote. “Our three-year relationship was not perfect — we were ultimately not a good match and argued — even shouted at each other — but I loved her, and did my best to uplift and support her as a partner and companion in any way and at no time did I sexually assault her.”
He also said: “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.”
The founder of The Nerdist podcaster is now the host of The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead analysis program Talking Dead, as well as the new pop-culture series Talking with Chris Hardwick.
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