Sam Amico
NBC Universal CEO Jeff Shell stepped down after having what he described as “an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company,” since identified by Deadline.com as CNBC anchor and senior international correspondent Hadley Gamble.
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Shell, who is married, said “I deeply regret it” in a statement about the situation. His resignation followed a probe by outside counsel, per multiple reports.
“Today is my last day as CEO of NBCUniversal,” Shell said in a statement Sunday. “I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret.
“I’m truly sorry I let my Comcast and NBCUniversal colleagues down,” the statement said. “They are the most talented people in the business and the opportunity to work with them the last 10 years has been a privilege.”
Gamble, on the other hand, has stayed silent. It is not yet known if she will face any sort of discipline.
She was once accused by Russian state media of acting like a “sexual object” to distract Russian President Vladimir Putin during an interview, with state outlets even suggesting she was part of a US “special operation,” though such accusations from Russia are generally proven to be untrue.
Shell’s resignation comes at a critical time for both NBCUniversal and Comcast, noted the Wall Street Journal.
“The company’s Peacock streaming service has made strides, but is still much smaller than the services backed by rivals such as Walt Disney Co.,” the outlet wrote. “In the fourth quarter, Peacock surpassed 20 million paid customers but lost nearly $1 billion on an adjusted basis, the company said.”
Gamble previously worked for ABC News and Fox News.
Her CNBC profile page reads that she “is a passionate advocate for women in the workplace and their advancement around the world.”
It also noted that “Hadley anchors Capital Connection from CNBC’s Middle East headquarters based within Abu Dhabi Global Markets. The show, broadcast daily, gives you a reading on Asia’s markets mid-day and sets you up for the Middle East and European trading day.”
