CBS Television Studios has fired former “NCIS: New Orleans” showrunner Brad Kern following a third misconduct investigation, the studio said Tuesday.
“We have ended Brad Kern’s role as consulting producer on ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ and his overall deal with the studio,” a representative for the studio said in a statement.
Kern had twice previously been investigated internally at the studio, but for the third investigation, spurred by further reports of harassment and verbally abusive behavior toward women, CBS brought in outside counsel.
The new investigation came shortly after CBS Studios signed a new two-year deal with the producer and chose to keep him on board as a consulting producer on the procedural despite replacing him as showrunner.
Earlier this summer, CBS Entertainment boss Kelly Kahl said he had confidence the investigation would “get to the truth” of the matter.
“CBS Studios investigated Brad Kern in 2016,” Kahl said at the time. “Action was taken after that investigation and, you know, there have been no complaints since. I’m troubled and frustrated that reports continue to come out in the press.”
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news of Kern’s dismissal.