'Talking Dead' Loses Female Executive Producer, 'Handful' of Staffers After Chris Hardwick's Return (Exclusive)
‘Talking Dead’ Loses Female Executive Producer, ‘Handful’ of Staffers After Chris Hardwick’s Return (Exclusive)
Jordin Althaus/AMC
When Chris Hardwick returns to “Talking Dead” on Sunday, the AMC talk show will be down one executive producer and several other staffers who left as a result of the network’s decision to allow him back on the “Walking Dead” wrap-up show.
The female executive producer and a “handful” of the approximately 25 people who work on the talk show show left after Hardwick was reinstated last month, according to multiple individuals with knowledge of the situation. He was allowed to return after an investigation by AMC into accusations of sexual and emotional abuse.
AMC declined to comment on the departures.
Hardwick was temporarily removed from “Talking Dead” back in June after Chloe Dykstra, a former girlfriend of Hardwick’s, accused him of long-term emotional abuse and controlling behavior, as well as hurting her career. He denied any wrongdoing.
“We take these matters very seriously and given the information available to us after a very careful review, including interviews with numerous individuals, we believe returning Chris to work is the appropriate step,” AMC said in a statement last month announcing that Hardwick had been reinstated.
According to one of the individuals, Hardwick gathered “Talking Dead” staffers in what was described as a “very emotional” meeting on Wednesday to apologize for the recent turmoil, and his demeanor was described as “apologetic and contrite.” The individual said Hardwick also invited crew members to one-on-one meetings to address any further concerns.