Loud House creator Chris Savino has broken his silence over claims he sexually harassed female colleagues for decades with a grovelling apology on Facebook.
The 46-year-old was fired by Nickelodeon on October 19 a day after being suspended after the accusations of a handful of different women emerged.
They told how Savino bombarded them with unwanted text messages and threatened to sabotage their careers if they rejected his advances.
On Monday, Savino said he was ‘deeply sorry and ashamed’ by their criticism.
Chris Savino shared their statement on his Facebook page on Monday after being fired by Nickelodeon last week over claims he sexually harassed female colleagues for a decade
‘Although it was never my intention, I now understand that the impact of my actions and communications created an uncomfortable environment,’ Savino said in a statement.
‘At every stage of my career, I have sought to uplift my colleagues and cultivate a culture of respect.
Twelve women accused Savino (pictured) of bombarding them with sexual text messages and threatening to ruin their careers if they rejected his advances
In this objective, I have failed. I should have known better, I should have acted better and this has been a difficult but valuable lesson,’ he went on.
Savino finished by saying he had the ‘deepest respect’ for the women who had spoken out against him.
‘I have nothing but the deepest respect for the bravery of the women who have spoken out, trying to create an environment in which they can thrive and reach their fullest potential,’ he said.
Savino’s accusers had their accusations published by Cartoon Brew last week.
They included the story of an artist who said he bombarded her with lewd text messages after obtaining her personal cell phone number under the pretense that he needed it for work.
‘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.
Savino created Loud House, the hit Nickelodeon cartoon, in 2016
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 has spoken about the allegations
In his apology, Savino (above launching the series in 2016) said it was never his intention to cause harm
‘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,’ a friend of the woman’s said.
Viacom, Nickelodeon’s parent company, at first refused to confirm his suspension. On Thursday, the popular children’s network however announced his firing.
‘ ‘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,’ a spokesman told DailyMail.com.
None of the predominantly female cast of Loud House have commented on Savino’s firing.
Liliana Mumy, arguably the most recognizable, declined questions on the subject last week when approached by DailyMail.com.
Before creating Loud House in 2016, Savino worked as an animator on The Powerpuff Girls and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
The Powerpuff Girls was aired by the Cartoon Network between 1998 and 2005.
House of cards: Roy Price, the former head of Amazon Studios, resigned last week 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
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.