ABC Pulls ‘Great American Baking Show’ Off Schedule in Wake of Johnny Iuzzini Sexual Misconduct Allegations

ABC is pulling “The Great American Baking Show” from its schedule in light of allegations of sexual misconduct against Johnny Iuzzini, one of the show’s judges.

“In light of allegations that recently came to our attention, ABC has ended its relationship with Johnny Iuzzini and will not be airing the remainder of ‘The Great American Baking Show’ episodes,” an ABC spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “ABC takes matters such as those described in the allegations very seriously and has come to the conclusion that they violate our standards of conduct. This season’s winner will be announced at a later date. Episodes of ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight’ and ‘CMA Country Christmas’ will take its place this week and next.”

Season 3 of the competition series, formerly known “The Great Holiday Baking Show,” debuted last week with the second episode originally set to air this Thursday night.

Four of Iuzzini’s former employees came forward in late November, claiming that the celebrity chef sexually harassed and abused them. One woman, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed that Iuzzini stuck his tongue in her ear “three or four times” on separate occasions. The women also reported that the chef would often use kitchen utensils to suggestively touch female staffers on the buttocks. They also say that he would routinely “stand behind you really closely and breathe on your neck.” On Tuesday, four more women came forward.

 

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