"The Chew" was forced to address the sexual misconduct allegations that have been brought against chef Mario Batali this week.
Co-hosts Carla Hall, Michael Symon and Clinton Kelly addressed the audience with a statement read on-air on Tuesday.
“Yesterday, allegations of past improper behavior surfaced about our own Mario Batali, and ABC asked him to step away from the show while those allegations are reviewed,” Kelly said.
“We want you to know we take these matters very seriously and are committed to a safe work environment,” Symon said.
Hall closed out the statement, saying, “Our commitment to our viewers remains the same, to deliver the entertaining show that you’ve come to expect.”
On Monday, in an article posted on Eater, four women accused the celebrity chef of sexual misconduct spanning "at least two decades."
Related: Chef Mario Batali leaves ‘The Chew’ amid sexual harassment allegations
In the wake of the allegations, Batali has stepped down from the day-to-day operations of his restaurants, but still remains the owner of many of the establishments. ABC said they asked Batali to step away from "The Chew" as they "review the allegations that have just recently come to (their) attention."
Related: Anthony Bourdain, Tom Colicchio slam Mario Batali amid allegations
Fellow celebrity chefs Anthony Bourdain and Tom Colicchio were quick to criticize Batali on Monday.
"It's Batali. And it's bad," Bourdain tweeted Monday. Colicchio retweeted him, adding, "And no one should be surprised."
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