‘Cosmos’ Season 2 Premiere Pulled From March 3 Schedule by Fox

Investigation into misconduct accusations against host Neil deGrasse Tyson continues

Neil deGrasse Tyson in 'Cosmos: Possible Worlds'
Fox/Nat Geo

Fox and Nat Geo have pulled their respective Season 2 premieres of “Cosmos,” amid an ongoing investigation into sexual misconduct accusations leveled against host Neil deGrasse Tyson, TheWrap has learned.

Fox, which had originally set “Cosmos” second season debut for March 3 at 9 p.m., will now air a new episode of “Family Guy,” followed by a repeat, during that time slot. Nat Geo, which was set to give Season 2 its cable network premiere the following day, has also postponed its broadcast.

As TheWrap previously reported, “Cosmos: Possible Worlds” — a followup to 2014’s “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” — was not expected to make its set return date because of the ongoing investigation into Tyson at Fox and Nat Geo.

There is currently no update on the investigation itself, an individual familiar with the situation tells TheWrap.

Representatives for Fox, Nat Geo and Tyson did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

The investigation began last November, after the website Patheos published accusations by three different women: a former classmate who said Tyson sexually assaulted her in 1984 when they were both grad students; a Bucknell University professor who said Tyson sexually harassed her in 2009; and Tyson’s former assistant, who said he harassed her in 2018. In December, an anonymous woman told Buzzfeed that Tyson harassed her in 2010.

In a statement posted to his Facebook account on Dec. 1, Tyson denied the accusation of sexual assault, and said that his behavior in 2009 and 2018 had been misinterpreted, though he apologized for any misunderstanding. Tyson also said that he welcomed the investigation. He has not commented on the fourth accusation.

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