Chris Hardwick’s AMC Talk Show Pulled
Posted on June 16, 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.”
In addition, NBC, which is home to the game show ‘The Wall,’ which Hardwick hosts, also said in a statement given to THR Saturday that it is still assessing the situation.
Hardwick has also been removed from his upcoming appearance at KAABOO Del Mar 2018, the annual festival said on Saturday.
“We have made the decision to pull Chris Hardwick from the KAABOO Del Mar 2018 comedy lineup following detailed accusations of substantial abuse,” a statement on their website reads. “KAABOO is an experience dedicated to providing a safe community and fostering an inclusive environment for all of our guests, performing artists and comedians, chefs, visual artists and team members. KAABOO does not condone, and will not tolerate, any type of abusive behavior or harassment. A replacement act for Hardwick will be announced shortly.”
Chloe Dykstra, 29, recently wrote about her painful experience with sexual assault in an emotional first-person essay .
Although she never named her former boyfriend in the essay, certain key details led many fans on Twitter to believe that she was referring to ex-boyfriend Hardwick. The two announced their split in July 2014 via Twitter. Hardwick, went on to later marry actress and heiress, Lydia Hearst in 2016.
In the essay, Dykstra said when she was in her early 20s, she began dating a man almost 20 years her senior who began displaying “controlling behavior,” and “rules were quickly established” within two weeks.
“Terrified to piss him off,” Dykstra said she “did what he said. Including let him sexually assault me. Regularly.”
According to Dykstra, her nights “were expected to be reserved for him, as he had a busy schedule,” which alienated her from her friends. Dykstra also said she was not to have close male friends and was not to drink alcohol, as he was sober.