AMC Clears Chris Hardwick to Return to "Talking Dead" after Sexual Assault Claims
by Dominic Patten
July 25, 2018


Days after being absent from his annual duty as moderator for "The Walking Dead" panel at Comic-Con, Chris Hardwick has been given the green light by AMC today to return on-air after allegations of sexual assault and emotional abuse by an ex-girlfriend.

“Following a comprehensive assessment by AMC, working with Ivy Kagan Bierman of the firm Loeb & Loeb, who has considerable experience in this area, Chris Hardwick will return to AMC as the host of Talking Dead and Talking with Chris Hardwick,” the cabler said in a statement Wednesday.

“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.”





The plan is that Hardwick will be back on "Talking Dead" for its August 12 premiere right after the Season 4mid-season debut of "Fear the Walking Dead".

Frequent "Talking Dead" participant and Hardwick’s SDCC panel replacement Yvette Nicole Brown will still front the TWD Season 9 preview special on August 5 and appear as guest on "Talking Dead" the follow week.

No return day for the all filmed Season 2 of "Talking with Chris Hardwick" has been set yet due to scheduling issues I hear.

https://deadline.com/2018/07/chris-hardwick-returning-talking-dead-amc-sexual-harassment-allegations-1202433461/

Did AMC decide to reinstate Chris Hardwick before Comic-Con? (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/walking-dead-producer-offers-support-for-chris-hardwick_us_5b4ff16be4b0b15aba8b7d84)
Lydia Hearst, Hardwick's wife, may have tipped the reinstatement (https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/lydia-hearst-chris-hardwick-sexual-abuse-allegations-1202878549/) last Thursday at Comic-Con when she told Variety: "He will be getting back to what he loves very soon." And while Hardwick's name went unmentioned at The Walking Dead's panel, executive producer David Alpert did offer this telling statement: “I love Chris. He’s a dear friend. I’m sad this is happening, but we have to figure out what’s going on, and I wish him all the best. I want him back. I miss Chris. I love Chris, so I hope everything sorts itself out.” ALSO: Hardwick's ex-girlfriend/accuser Chloe Dykstra said in a statement posted to Twitter that she did not participate in AMC's investigate, and that she wished to move on with her life. (http://www.vulture.com/2018/07/chloe-dykstra-speaks-out-after-amc-reinstates-chris-hardwick.html)

Chris Hardwick's Talking Dead return leads to the departure of a female executive producer and several staffers (https://www.thewrap.com/talking-dead-loses-female-executive-producer-chris-hardwick-walking-dead/)
The Wrap reports that the unnamed "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." AMC declined to comment on the departures. Meanwhile, on Friday, Hardwick accuser and ex-girlfriend Chloe Dykstra tweeted that she stood by her allegations (https://www.thewrap.com/chris-hardwick-ex-chloe-dykstra-stands-by-every-single-word/) and explained why she didn't participate in the network investigation: "Hey dudes. Just a reminder: I 100% stand by every single word of my essay. I made sure it was unembellished, factual, and that I had evidence to back it up in order to protect myself in case of ACTUAL litigation (not a network investigation, where I’m not protected). That is all." ALSO: Nerdist restores Hardwick's name following an internal investigation. (https://ew.com/news/2018/08/10/chris-hardwick-nerdist-website)

Chris Hardwick Makes Tearful Return to "Talking Dead": "I've Never Been More Thankful Than I Am In This Moment"
by Ryan Schwartz
August 12, 2018


Chris Hardwick on Sunday resumed "Talking Dead" hosting duties following the end of a short-lived suspension over allegations of sexual assault.

“Normally, I recap the show we’re about to talk about here, but instead, I really just want to take a minute and say I’m so appreciative to be standing here right now,” he began. “And I want to thank you, The Walking Dead community, for all of your support these last couple of months.”




“This show is not just a job to me,” he continued through tears. “This is a vital part of my life, and this has been a sanctuary these last seven years we’ve been here. This has been with me through good times and bad times, and I have so much gratitude to you, the fans, and the producers and the amazing casts of both of these shows for allowing me to come here and be a part of this community every week. This is what this is. This is a community. We’re on the precipice of a lot of changes on both Walking Dead shows in the coming weeks and months, and I am so looking forward to going on that journey with you.

And I’ve said the following words a million times, countless times, and yet I have never been more thankful than I am in this very moment to say to you that I am Chris Hardwick and this is Talking Dead.”




Later, Hardwick addressed special guest Yvette Nicole Brown, who hosted "The Walking Dead" Season 9 preview special in his absence and moderated AMC’s myriad San Diego Comic-Con panels.

“You are such an amazing friend,” he told her. “You are a gift on this planet, and you stepped in and did amazing jobs at the Comic-Con panel and last week on the preview special. I have so much appreciation for you. You are so much a part of this family, and I was honored to have you sit in, and you are my true friend, and I just love you so much.”

https://tvline.com/2018/08/12/chris-hardwick-talking-dead-return-statement-sexual-assault-allegations/