MTV has suspended production of its popular series Catfish: The TV Show while the network probes sexual misconduct allegations against its co-host Nev Schulman.
“We take these allegations very seriously,” an MTV spokesperson said in a statement. “We’re working with Critical Content, our third-party production company, to conduct a thorough investigation.”
The announcement comes days after a former Catfish guest uploaded videos to YouTube alleging she was sexually harassed by Schulman, claiming he repeatedly made sexually suggestive comments and grilled her about her sexual orientation.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Schulman vehemently denied the allegations and said his colleagues would testify to his innocence.
“The behavior described in this video did not happen and I’m fortunate that there are a number of former colleagues who were present during this time period who are willing to speak up with the truth,” he said. “I have always been transparent about my life and would always take responsibility for my actions ― but these claims are false.”
In 2014, Schulman commented on the domestic abuse scandal involving former NFL running back Ray Rice. Schulman took to Twitter to declare his elevator “abuse free,” a reference to Rice who was caught on camera punching and dragging his unconscious fiancé out of an elevator. A since-deleted tweet sees Schulman taking a selfie, the tweet was capped off with the hashtag #RESPECT.
The missive was panned by social media users and reignited rumors and unconfirmed reports about how Schulman was expelled from college for allegedly punching a woman in the face.
Schulman, 33, has co-hosted MTV’s Catfish since 2012, a show where he and his partner Max Joseph help people who have entered relationships with people using fake identities online. The series is based on Schulman’s personal cat fishing experience, which was the subject of a 2010 documentary of the same name.
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