Ryan Seacrest Denies New Sexual Harassment Claims: I Want To ‘Put The Matter To Rest’

Ryan Seacrest Denies New Sexual Harassment Claims: I Want To ‘Put The Matter To Rest’

Ryan Seacrest has finally broken his silence, following his former stylist’s new sexual harassment claims. Read his passionate statement, here.

After refusing to even acknowledge the new sexual harassment claims against him while hosting Live! With Kelly & Ryan on Feb. 27, Ryan Seacrest has now come forward with a statement, denying his former stylist’s new accusations, which were revealed just 24 hours ago. “I don’t want to accuse anyone of not telling the truth but in this case, I have no choice but to again deny the claims against me, remind people that I was recused of any wrongdoing, and put the matter to rest,” Ryan said in a statement obtained by TheWrap. “This person who has accused me of horrible things offered, on multiple occasions, to withdraw her claims if I paid her millions of dollars. I refused.” (See his full statement below.)

As we previously told you, Ryan’s former stylist, Suzie Hardy, went public with her sexual assault allegations against him, via our sister site Variety, just weeks after E! concluded an investigation and said they “found insufficient evidence to substantiate [the] allegations.” According to an interview with Variety, published on Feb. 26, Suzie said she worked for Seacrest between 2006-2013 and alleged that he “grinded his erect penis on her,” groped her vagina, and more. It was the first time Suzie detailed her claims against Ryan. In Nov. 2017, however, Ryan released a pre-emptive statement, during which he revealed that E! was investigating a misconduct complaint against him — one that was made by “someone that worked as a wardrobe stylist for me nearly a decade ago at E! News.”

After Suzie’s interview with Variety went public on Monday, E! released another statement, saying, “E!’s investigation was extremely comprehensive and thorough. Over the course of a two month process, our outside counsel interviewed more than two dozen people regarding the allegations, including multiple separate meetings with the claimant and all firsthand witnesses that she provided. The investigator is an attorney with nearly 20 years experience and is highly regarded professionally. Any claims that question the legitimacy of this investigation are completely baseless.”

Ryan’s entire statement to TheWrap can be seen below.

Much has been said about the #MeToo and Times Up movement(s) and the importance of providing women and men with the opportunity to share their stories of workplace misconduct, in an effort to change our culture and the systemic inequalities that exist. I absolutely support this cause unequivocally and applaud all the brave souls who have come forward to share their stories.

Sadly, last fall I became one of the accused, which I promptly revealed proactively to the network involved and to the public. And to be equally clear, those accusations were then investigated by an independent third-party over the course of a two-month process and involved dozens of interviews that included me, the accused and countless others. Ultimately, my name was cleared. I eagerly participated in the investigation in order to demonstrate my innocence because I know my truth, and I believe in due process.

Yesterday, VARIETY published a salacious story that revealed the specific claims against me for the first time – even though an independent third-party investigator found insufficient evidence to support the claims. Much to my dismay, Variety didn’t speak with me or bother to speak with other credible witnesses or even ask for any of the evidence that was obtained during the investigation when offered, all of which clearly challenged the veracity of the claims made against me.

This person who has accused me of horrible things offered, on multiple occasions, to withdraw her claims if I paid her millions of dollars. I refused. I have worked extremely hard to achieve my success and I don’t take my opportunities for granted. I don’t want to accuse anyone of not telling the truth but in this case, I have no choice but to again deny the claims against me, remind people that I was recused of any wrongdoing, and put the matter to rest.

HollywoodLifers, how do YOU feel about this new development? Should Ryan do more than just release a statement? Tell us below!