Pictured: Johnny Iuzzini (ABC / Mark Bourdillion).
That’s the way the cookie crumbles. ABC has cancelled the third season of The Great American Baking Show. The Alphabet Network has reportedly pulled the cooking competition from its schedule and fired the last remaining original judge, Johnny Iuzzini, due to allegations of sexual misconduct unrelated to the series. The episodes scheduled for December 14th and 21st have been scrapped, leaving the December 7th two-hour premiere as the only season three episode to have aired.
An ABC reality TV show competition The Great American Baking Show is a US adaptation of The Great British Bake Off. Formerly known as The Great Holiday Baking Show, the series features bakers from around the country going head to head in holiday-themed challenges and eliminations, with the goal of being crowned “America’s Best Amateur Baker.” This installment saw Paul Hollywood join as a judge, along with new host-judges Ayesha Curry and Anthony ‘Spice’ Adams.
“In light of allegations that recently came to our attention, ABC has ended its relationship with Johnny Iuzzini and will not be airing the remainder of The Great American Baking Show episodes,” an ABC spokesperson said in a statement. “ABC takes matters such as those described in the allegations very seriously and has come to the conclusion that they violate our standards of conduct. This season’s winner will be announced at a later date.”
Claims against Iuzzini first surfaced days after Thanksgiving when Mic posted a story in which four former employees described allegations of sexual harassment and abuse while working under Iuzzini at a New York restaurant between 2009 and 2011. It followed up with a second report Tuesday in which four more women came forward with new allegations. Two of his accusers said management was aware of the allegations as early as 2004, and the other two claimed that Iuzzini abused his power and influence over female subordinates and associates.
Iuzzini denied the charges in a statement to Mic, saying they were “simply untrue.”
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ABC added that episodes of The Great Christmas Light Fight and CMA Country Christmas will air in Great American Baking Show‘s 9 PM Thursday slot this week and next….
ABC has not addressed whether it will cancel or renew The Great American Baking Show TV series for season four and beyond. When we know more, you will too.
What do you think? Did ABC do the right thing in cancelling the rest of The Great American Baking Show, season three? Sound off, in the comments.
I think they should have aired the season. After reviewing proof or strength if allegations determine next year. As a women who over a long career experienced many forms of abuse, I still believe you should not be able to just say it & it’s true. I believe at least in my experience there were others who knew what was going on but were afraid to say anything. Hopefully that mindset is now changing so accusations can be investigate much better than in the past.
I think they should have finished airing it. What happened 6 or 7 years ago has not been proven, and we would like to see the rest of the compitition
This show was boring
I guess he had his filthy fingas in the pie
This is very sad. I feel terribly sorry for all those skilled bakers chosen for the program with the expectation of fulfilling a lifetime dream only to have it squashed. I also feel bad for the viewers (of whom I am one) who enjoy this show tremendously. I’m not mitigating the anguish of those women who were victims of sexual misconduct, but is it not possible to take appropriate action without throwing the baby out with the bathwater? Surely a statement from ABC indicating future disassociation from Mr. Iuzzini, if allegations prove correct, would be appropriate, but allow the already… Read more »
WHAT!!! Fire the fool get another judge and show all that were made with him! We are adults, let us make our own choices. The contestants are the stars!
Completely ridiculous!! Who makes these idiotic decisions? Its not like he was sexually harassing the contestants. Total overreaction. Just fire the guy, & show the rest of the episodes (or at least burn them off!! We can decide whether we want to watch them or not).
ABC, please! Just keep The Great American Baking Show on the air and renew it for a fourth season and beyond. It’s a great show. Just let Johnny Iuzzini go and find a new judge for next season. Never, ever cancel The Great American Baking Show.
No,No,No,No
Air the show. Why should the hard working bakers and other hosts lose out. Also, when was his trial? I must have missed it.
Good point Lorrie
Stupid. They knew about it before they aired the first two episodes? At least have it on demand for the rest. I love watching the show around the holidays. I thought it was innocent until proven guilty.
I don’t watch this show, but on the principle of it, I feel it is greatly unfair to punish his co-workers from a good source of revenue and the public from a show they like. That he was pulled until allegations are proven, is fine. Predators have to understand that they don’t have and keep on having the control on everybody’s lives around them. No one is irreplaceable. Cancelling the whole show proves exactly the contrary in giving them an overinflated importance. Just don’t aire anymore shown with him in it, and as others have mentioned, just replace him in… Read more »
how stupid…if Johnny did something (allegedly), pull him, not the entire show. As usual, network bigwigs react too soon and pulled the plug on a wildly successful show. Again, how stupid
NO THEY DIDNT I WATCH THIS
ABC didn’t do the right thing to cancel that show or the rest of the third season. ABC should fire Johnny Iuzzini but don’t cancel The Great American Baking Show. It’s a great show but do the right thing to fire Iuzzini and find a new judge for season three and four. Keep the show going forever.
I agree. I watch the show for the contestants, not the judges anyway. It’s not fair to the contestants either,