Netflix Officially Cancels Major Comedy Series in Wake of Sexual Harassment Scandal

Netflix set the release date for the third and final season of Ricky Gervais‘ series After Life. The show was rocked by a sexual harassment scandal when 11 women accused Gervais’ longtime collaborator, producer Charlie Hanson, of sexual misconduct in May, Hanson was removed from the project days after the U.K. paper The Times published excerpts from the women’s letter to Netflix and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Filming on After Life finished in June, and Gervais said in 2020 he didn’t plan on making a fourth season.

On Tuesday, Netflix made the cancellation official. The company’s U.K. & Ireland division released the poster for After Life Season 3, including the Jan. 14 premiere date. The streamer also published a set of photos from the upcoming episodes. Gervais wrote, created, directed and starred in the series about Tony, a widower who considers suicide until he decides to spend his days punishing the world for his wife’s death. His plans go awry when everyone he meets tries to make him a better person.

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Back in May, The Times published excerpts from a letter Hanson’s accusers wrote to BAFTA and Netflix. In the letter, the 11 women call Hanson a “predator who uses his reputation, connections and standing in order to groom far younger, impressionable and sometimes vulnerable women into trusting him.” They accused him of promising a “starry career” before using their trust in “creepy and illegal ways.”

“He then tries to diminish the seriousness of what he’s done by telling these young women – us – that it wasn’t as bad as it seemed, that it was somehow blameless,” the women wrote. “He does his best to convince himself – and others – that this method of operating is fine. But we know it is not fine.”

Hanson denied the allegations in a statement to Variety. “I have been made aware of allegations made against me concerning improper conduct towards women dating back many years,” he said. “Based on the summaries that have been provided to me, I understand that many of these accusations are made anonymously and are demonstrably false. I have not had one complaint in decades of work in the media industry. I categorically reject any wrongdoing on my part, and strongly refute the allegations that have been leveled at me. I have worked with and supported hundreds of men and women during my working life and will do what is necessary to protect and/or restore my reputation. I will also cooperate with any formal inquiries. The matter is now in the hands of my solicitors.” Hanson’s lawyers also told Variety their client is “shocked and appalled by these historic and false allegations of improper conduct towards women.”

BAFTA, which previously honored Hanson for Big Impression, immediately suspended his membership. “We have been presented with a number of very serious detailed allegations about an individual and while we are not their employer we immediately took the decision to suspend their membership,” the organization told Variety. “BAFTA is an arts charity and does not have the power to investigate historic claims of abuse therefore we have referred the matter to the police.”

Netflix U.K. & Ireland later removed Hanson from After Life after receiving the letter. “Whilst the allegations are unrelated to his time on the show, we immediately removed him from the production and referred the matter to the police,” the streamer said. Hanson has worked with Gervais on several other projects, including Extras, Derek, Life’s Too Short, and David Brent: Life on the Road.

Gervais mentioned that After Life would end with Season 3 back in July 2020. “I’ve already made my mind up there won’t be a four,” he said at the time, reports The Mirror. “And you do put those things out there to make you remember as it’s tempting but… there’s an old saying that ‘to lead the orchestra, you’ve got to turn your back on the audience.’ That’s true. The audience thinks they want another one, but they’re not sure. So you’ve got to be careful.”