Two female writers onCarol’s Second Actleft their jobs on the show after David Hunt, starPatricia Heaton‘s husband and an executive producer on the sitcom, allegedly exhibited inappropriate behavior on set.
Writer Broti Gupta “complained to human resources” about Hunt allegedly touching her inappropriately during her time on set, according to theNew York Times.Co-executive producer Margee Magee also had a complaint to human resources.
Gupta, 25, went to human resources with complaints of Hunt inappropriately touching her on two separate occasions, one of which she claimed he put his hand on her thigh and the other when he allegedly grabbed her shoulders.
Heaton and Hunt’s lawyer Bryan Freedman told theTimesthat Hunt “did not remember the details as described” and that Hunt “does not recall rubbing anyone’s thigh or leg and he disputes that characterization of it.” In his statement, Freeman added that Hunt “remembers looking for a script but does not remember the detail of touching anyone’s shoulders, and if he did that, it was not intended to be offensive.”
Freedman and reps for Heaton did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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Hunt completed a sexual harassment training on Oct. 1, theTimesstated.
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However, after sharing her complaint with human resources, Gupta claims she was “stripped of her responsibilities” and wasn’t allowed to be a part of certain rehearsals. “That gave me no option but to leave the show,” she told theTimes.
Magee, 43, shared she felt similar consequences at work. While she “did not want to leave,” she claims she felt as if she was not given her usual writing responsibilities.
In addition, Magee claims the network did not “enforce the new protocol” of sexual harassment training after raising their complaints. “In truth, the people who are there to enforce the new protocol just don’t do it,” she told theTimes. “All we wanted was for him to watch like a 45-minute harassment video. None of this had to happen.”
In its statement to PEOPLE, CBS also said, “Our human resources team always endeavors to address issues in a professional and sensitive manner, and we must clarify that certain allegations about them have either been misstated or taken wholly out of context. The writer and producer decided to leave the show of their own accord.”
Both women are to be paid for the remainder of their guaranteed episodes and are contractually able to speak about their experiences on the show, according to the statement from CBS.
source: people.com
