The “StarTalk” TV show hosted by popular astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson will be off the air during an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against him, according to media reports.
Just three episodes of the fifth season of “StarTalk” ran in November before the program was suspended after allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against Tyson.
Now a decision has been made to halt the program until some conclusion is reached in an investigation by the National Geographic Channel and Fox Networks Group, which share “Cosmos,” also hosted by Tyson. Both Nat Geo and Fox had planned to launch a revival of “Cosmos: Possible Worlds” in March.
Tyson is also the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
“In order to allow the investigation to occur unimpeded, we chose to hold new episodes of ‘Star Talk’ until it is complete,” a representative of Nat Geo told Variety, which was the first to report the decision. “We expect that to happen in the next few weeks at which time we’ll make a final decision.”
Tyson has denied all the accusations and said he welcomes an investigation.
Patheos.com reported in November on a rape allegation by Tchiya Amet, which she said occurred in 1984 when she was a student at the University of Texas at Austin while Tyson was working on his doctorate.
Bucknell professor Katelyn Allers also accused Tyson of “grabbing” her in 2009, and production assistant Ashley Watson accused him of making unwanted sexual advances over wine and cheese in 2018, Patheos also reported.
Tyson denied the allegations in a lengthy Facebook post. He said he was “searching for Pluto” in a solar system tattoo on Allers’ shoulder — beneath the material of her sleeveless dress. He said the wine and cheese was simply that. And he wrote that the sex with Amet was consensual.
“Accusations can damage a reputation and a marriage. Sometimes irreversibly,” Tyson wrote in his Facebook post. “I see myself as [a] loving husband and as a public servant ― a scientist and educator who serves at the will of the public.”
Tyson could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.