Chris Hardwick to Return to NBC Following Abuse Allegations

By Daniel Holloway

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Chris Hardwick will return to NBC next week as a guest judge on “America’s Got Talent.” The appearance will be Hardwick’s first on television since he was accused in June by an ex-girlfriend of abusive behavior.

Variety has also learned that NBC game show “The Wall,” which Hardwick hosts and exec produces, will begin production as planned this fall. Hardwick will return as host for the series’ third season.

Hardwick last week was reinstated by AMC as host of “The Walking Dead” aftershow “Talking Dead.” His first appearance back on the show is scheduled to take place Aug. 12 — five days after he is slated to appear on “America’s Got Talent.” AMC said last week that it had completed an investigation of allegations against Hardwick. A spokesperson for the company said in a statement, “Following a comprehensive assessment by AMC, working with Ivy Kagan Bierman of the firm Loeb & Loeb, who has considerable experience in this area, will return to AMC as the host of ‘Talking Dead’ and ‘Talking with Chris Hardwick.’ We take these matters very seriously and given the information available to us after a very careful review, including interviews with numerous individuals, we believe returning Chris to work is the appropriate step.”

It is not known whether NBC conducted its own investigation into Hardwick’s alleged behavior. An NBC spokesperson declined to comment.

Hardwick in June denied that he abused former girlfriend Chloe Dykstra, saying that the relationship ended because she was unfaithful to him.