Less than 24 hours earlier, Variety published a story detailing sexual misconduct allegations lodged against him by his former E! News stylist. But when it came time for Live with Kelly and Ryan, the ABC talk show went on with no mention of the claims.
Seacrest and Kelly Ripa began Tuesday’s show detailing their teeth-whitening excursions before interviewing Kiefer Sutherland and Christine Baranski, playing games with the studio audience, and announcing their plans for Oscars coverage.
Ripa even mentioned that Seacrest still plans to appear on the red carpet Sunday for the Academy Awards.
Suzie Hardy, Seacrest’s former stylist, initially brought accusations against Seacrest this past fall. They were then more widely publicized when Seacrest released a statementdenying the allegations in November. E! News launched an investigation into the matter and by February found “insufficient evidence” to support Hardy’s claims.
Hardy has since come forward to detail multiple supposed instances of sexual misconduct to Variety, including claims that Seacrest grabbed her crotch and hugged her multiple times in nothing but his underwear.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Seacrest’s attorney Andrew Baum says, “It is upsetting to us that Variety is electing to run a ‘story’ about untrue allegations that we were made against my client, after they were told that the accuser threatened to make those false claims against him unless he paid her $15 million. At that time, the claimant threatened to issue a demonstrably false press statement unless she was paid. Instead, my client proactively and publicly denied the claims and agreed to fully cooperate with E!’s investigation about the matter.”
A spokesperson for Live with Kelly and Ryan had no comment.
