Superstar chef Mario Batali has been asked to step away from his co-hosting duties at ABC’s The Chew amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
According to Eater, four women have come forward accusing Batali of groping and inappropriate behavior going back two decades.
From Variety:
In a statement, Batali told Eater that he apologized “to the people I have mistreated and hurt.” ABC said it was reviewing the allegations and had asked Batali to step down from “Chew.”
“We have asked Mario Batali to step away from ‘The Chew’ while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,” an ABC spokeswoman said. “ABC takes matters like this very seriously as we are committed to a safe work environment. While we are unaware of any type of inappropriate behavior involving him and anyone affiliated with the show, we will swiftly address any alleged violations of our standards of conduct.”
Batali has been one of four co-anchors of ABC’s daytime cooking and lifestyle series “The Chew” since its inception in 2011.
