Michael Weatherly's Bull Renewed For Season 4, Despite Sexual Harassment Allegations

Source: CBS

CBS has renewed their drama Bull for another season despite the sexual harassment allegations against its star, Michael Weatherly. In the midst of the Times Up movement, former star Eliza Dushku accused Weatherly of misconduct, but the network opted to bring the show back for a fourth season.

At the beginning of Season 3, in a 2,300-word article she wrote for the Boston Globe, Dushku alleged that Weatherly sexually harassed her during her time on the CBS drama She also called out Bull writer and producer Glenn Gordon Caron and CBS, and the network paid her $9.5 million, which was the amount she would have earned had she finished her original six-season contract.

Six months after @koblin & @RachelAbramsNY detailed Eliza Dushku’s claims that she was harassed on the set of ‘Bull,’ Steven Spielberg’s production company walks away from the show, which CBS just renewed https://t.co/z98y2efE0D

— Connor Ennis (@EnnisNYT) May 9, 2019

Dushku’s article was a response to a statement that Weatherly made in a New York Times piece.

“During the course of taping our show, I made some jokes mocking some lines in the script. When Eliza told me that she wasn’t comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized,” said Weatherly.

The actor went on to say that after some reflection, he understands that what he said wasn’t funny or appropriate, and he is sorry for the pain he caused Dushku.

After the controversy, Amblin Entertainment and its founder, Steven Spielberg, decided to stop producing Bull, so the show will have a new production company for Season 4. Spielberg, who has donated money to the Times Up movement, met with Dushku after she shared her story.

Weatherly did receive support from his female co-stars that worked with him on his previous show NCIS. Both Pauley Perrette and Sasha Alexander defended the actor, with both of them calling him a friend who they love, respect, and trust.

Season 4 is on the way…and that’s no #Bull! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/4aQnjl7R1L

— Bull (@BullCBS) May 9, 2019

In addition to Bull, CBS has renewed multiple other shows, including Blue Bloods, FBI, Magnum P.I., SEAL Team, S.W.A.T., Madam Secretary, MacGyver, and Hawaii Five-0. The network has also renewed all of the shows in the NCIS franchise, as well as Criminal Minds, Mom, Young Sheldon, The Neighborhood, and God Friended Me.

 CBS will present its entire 2019-2020 lineup at their upfront on May 15th.