Chris Hardwick was in tears as he returned to AMC’s Talking Dead following allegations of abuse against him from former girlfriend Chloe Dykstra.
During Sunday’s episode (August 13), Hardwick thanked The Walking Dead fans for “all your support”, explaining: “I really just want to take a minute and I want to say that I’m so appreciative to be standing here right now, and I want to thank you, The Walking Dead community, for all your support over these past couple months.
“This show is not just a job to me, this is a vital part of my life, this has been a sanctuary these last seven years we’ve been here,” he added.
Back in June, actress Dykstra published an essay detailing allegations of emotional and sexual abuse by an ex-boyfriend. Although she didn’t name Hardwick, the presenter publicly denied sexually assaulting her.
Hardwick continued: “This has been with me through good times and bad times, and I have so much gratitude to you the fans, the producers, and the casts of these amazing shows for allowing me to be a part of this community every week.
“This is what this is, a community, and 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] I’ve never been more thankful than I am in this moment to say to you: I am Chris Hardwick and this is Talking Dead.”
In response to the allegations, AMC decided to pull Talking with Chris Hardwick from its schedules as Talking Dead, usually hosted by Hardwick, was also on a mid-season break.
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Late last month, AMC reinstated Hardwick as the host of Talking Dead and Talking with Chris Hardwick after conducting “a comprehensive assessment” into the allegations.
Ahead of Hardwick’s return, one female executive producer and a “handful” of female staffers on the show have quit, The Wrap reports.
Dykstra has since said that she stands by “every single word” of what she wrote.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of sexual violence. If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
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