Nickelodeon has fired one of its star animators over claims he sexually harassed women.
Chris Savino was suspended on Wednesday after the first claims were published by Cartoon Brew.
On Thursday night, Nickelodeon announced his firing and said it was looking into alleged victims’ claims.
In a statement to DailyMail.com, a spokesman said: ‘Chris Savino is no longer working with Nickelodeon.
‘We take allegations of misconduct very seriously, and we are committed to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment that is free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct.
Loud House creator Chris Savino has been suspended amid claims he sexually harassed women over a decade
‘The Loud House, which is currently in its second season, will continue to air on Nickelodeon and be in production. Season three is scheduled to premiere in early 2018.’
None of his alleged victims have identified themselves publicly but they anonymously shared their complaints with Cartoon Brew.
They told how he bombarded female colleagues with sexual text messages and tried to sabotage their careers if they ever rejected his advances.
One artist, who declined to be named, recalled how Savino used the guise of work to obtain a female colleague’s personal contact information then bombarded her with unwanted text messages in 2013.
‘He got her personal contact information under the guise of “helping her develop the project off hours.”
‘He presented himself as a mentor. He then proceeded to send her unwanted text messages that were lewd and sexual in nature on more than one occasion.
‘When she turned down his advances, her development project was let go. He is a classic case of a predatory male using his status and power over a female subordinate,’ the source said.
Initially, Viacom, Nickelodeon’s parent company, would not confirm his suspension.
In a vague statement that was issued in response to queries, the company said it investigated any claims of harassment that have been filed by employees.
‘Viacom is committed to the safety and well-being of our employees, and to fostering a workplace free from harassment.
‘As a matter of policy, we do not comment on specific employee matters, but we take all allegations of this nature very seriously, investigate them thoroughly and take any necessary actions as a result,’ a spokesman said.
Before creating Loud House in 2016, Savino worked as an animator on The Powerpuff Girls and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
Savino created Loud House for Nickelodeon in 2016 but has worked in the animation industry for years longer
Loud House’s mostly female cast (above). None have come forward to accuse Savino of any harassment
Loud House’s cast includes 37-year-old Jessica DiCicco (left) and 23-year-old Liliana Mumy who shot to fame as a child in the Cheaper By The Dozen films (right). Neither is implicated in the Savino allegations
He has not given any comment since his suspension was reported.
Loud House’s cast consists largely of women including Jessica DiCicco and Catherine Taber. Most are now in their thirties or forties though some are in their early twenties.
None have commented on Savino’s suspension.
The Powerpuff Girls was aired by the Cartoon Network between 1998 and 2005. Savino worked alongside its creator Craig McCracken until he left the show after the first four seasons. Savino oversaw the final two.
The Cartoon Network did not respond to questions surrounding Savino’s suspension on Wednesday.
It is the latest in a wave of developments gripping the film and TV industry since the avalanche of allegations against Harvey Weinstein emerged earlier this month.
An executive from Amazon’s Studios has also resigned over claims he was complicit in sexual harassment at the company.
Roy Price had been placed on administrative leave last week after claims he ignored Rose McGowan when she said she had been raped and sexually harassed a lesbian producer of one of Amazon’s shows.
House of cards: Roy Price, the former head of Amazon Studios, resigned on Tuesday amid accusations he sexually harassed staff. Harvey Weinstein (right) has been fired by The Weinstein Company and may face criminal charges over claims he raped and sexually assaulted women over the last 20 years
According to Isa Hackett, Price told her: ‘You will love my d***’ when they worked together in 2015.
Weinstein has gone AWOL since making a brief and bizarre appearance in Los Angeles last week outside his daughter’s home.
More than 50 women claim he sexually harassed or assaulted them during a reign of terror over Hollywood.
They include Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Rose McGowan, Ashley Judd and Asia Argento along with dozens of lesser known film industry experts.
Their on-the-record allegations, which had long been held as an open secret in Hollywood but were not publicly reported, have sent a ripple effect through the film and TV industry.
They have also spawned the hashtag ‘Me Too’ which women are using on social media to share their own experiences of sexual harassment or abuse.