One of these celebrities was fired for her social media behavior or resurfaced controversy, while some other stars almost lost their entire career due to their romance.
- Jan 28, 2024
AceShowbiz - Big scandals didn't only cost celebrities fame and fans, but also gigs. Some stars lost their TV gigs after being involved in scandals that wouldn't look good for the image of their shows.
One of them was fired for her social media behavior or resurfaced controversy. Some celebrities, meanwhile, lost their entire career due to their romance.
These are stars who faced real consequences over their scandals.
1. Isaiah Washington - 'Grey’s Anatomy'
Isaiah Washington played the enchanting cardiothoracic surgeon Preston Burke in the first three seasons of hit medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" before he was forced to leave the show. The actor was fired from the beloved series due to his comments on fellow cast member T. R. Knight, who played George O'Malley.
Washington was accused of calling Knight with a homophobic slur during an argument with co-star Patrick Dempsey. Washington denied the allegations before he issued a public apology. Despite that, ABC decided to cut ties with Washington a few months before season 4 premiered.
2. Shannen Doherty - 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'Charmed'
Shannen Doherty was fired from not only one, but two shows over scandals. The actress, who rose to fame with her role as Brenda Walsh on "Beverly Hills, 90210", was given the boot due to various reasons, including her bad behavior on set and a fight between her and co-star Jennie Garth.
The same thing happened when she starred on "Charmed" as she was involved in a fight with co-star Alyssa Milano. Recently, fellow cast member Holly Marie Combs revealed that Alyssa was the one who got Shannen fired by threatening to sue the production for a hostile workplace environment.
3. Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute - 'Vanderpump Rules'
Drama with a co-star was also the reason why Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute got cut from "Vanderpump Rules" in June 2022. They were fired from the Bravo reality TV star after Faith Stowers, the only Black cast member on the show, claimed that they falsely reported her to the police in 2018 over an alleged theft.
Both Schroeder and Doute released separate statements in which they apologized for their wrongdoings. "I'm ashamed, embarrassed, and incredibly sorry. I will do better. I have to do better," Doute wrote in her statement which was released amid the peak of #BlackLivesMatter movement.
4. Jennie Nguyen - 'RHOSLC'
Similarly, Jennie Nguyen's firing from "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City also came amid the BLM protest. The reality TV star was let go amid backlash over her racist comments about the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement.
"I want to acknowledge and apologize for my deleted Facebook posts from 2020 that resurfaced today," she shared on her Instagram account in January 2022 in response to backlash over her Facebook posts. "At the time, I thought I was speaking out against violence, but I have since learned how offensive and hurtful my words were."
5. Matt Lauer - 'Today'
While other stars have bounced back after being fired from TV shows over the scandals, it wasn't the same for Matt Lauer. The former "Today" anchor is currently living a "very quiet lifestyle" after exiting the morning show over multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
Lauer was fired by NBC in November 2017 after a former network employee, who was later identified as Brooke Nevils, claimed that he sexually harassed her. She alleged that Lauer raped her in his hotel room at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. That prompted other women to come forward with similar accusations against Lauer.
6. Charlie Sheen - 'Two and a Half Men'
Charlie Sheen could have had a much more brilliant career if not because of his scandals. The star, who was one of the highest paid actors on TV when he starred as Charlie Harper on "Two and a Half Men", was fired from the sitcom due to his then-ongoing battle with substance abuse that led to a production halt.
Not stopping there, Charlie went on dissing the show's co-creator Chuck Lorre in multiple interviews. Rather unsurprisingly, Charlier got booted from the series and was replaced by Ashton Kutcher in season 9.
7. Jussie Smollett - 'Empire'
Jussie Smollett's exit from "Empire" was one of the biggest TV scandals that led to an actor getting fired from a show. The actor playing Jamal Lyon on the popular show was let go after he was accused of staging a hate crime attack to boost his salary on the FOX series.
"While these allegations are very disturbing, we are placing our trust in the legal system as the process plays out. We are also aware of the effects of this process on the cast and crew members who work on our show and to avoid further disruption on set, we have decided to remove the role of Jamal from the final two episodes of the season," 20th Century Fox Television said in a statement. In December 2021, a jury found Smollett guilty of five out of six felony counts of disorderly conduct of making a false report to police.
8. Roseanne Barr - 'Roseanne'
Roseanne Barr might be the lead actress on "Roseanne", but that doesn't mean her status on the show is a 100 percent secured when she has to be held accountable. The actress was removed from the 2018 revival of the 90's sitcom after she let out a racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett, the former Special Advisor to President Obama.
Immediately, Roseanne faced backlash from both viewers and fellow actors. Not only she was fired, the show was canceled and getting a reboot titled "The Conners" which saw the main cast members returning but her.
9. Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes - 'Good Morning America'
Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes's romance costs their career. The couple and co-anchors lost their jobs from "Good Morning America 3" after news of their off-camera relationship hit the web in late 2022 before they were officially terminated in January 2023.
While the couple, who had split from respective partners when they started dating, had not violated any company policy, ABC News considered their relationship had become "an internal and external disruption." After staying low-key for a few months after the firing, Amy and T.J. launched their joint podcast "Amy & T.J." In December 2023.
10. Kevin Spacey - 'House of Cards'
Talk about the biggest TV scandal. Kevin Spacey and his TV series "House of Cards" were at the peak of their popularity when the actor was accused of sexual assault amid the #MeeToo Hollywood wave. Actor Anthony Rapp claimed that the Frank Underwood depicter assaulted him when he was a teenager back in 1986.
In response to the allegations, Kevin said that he didn't have much recollection of the alleged incident. He also made use of the moment to come out as gay, though fans perceived his move as an attempt to gain sympathy for himself. The production on the Netflix show's sixth and final season was halted amid the backlash. Kevin was eventually cut from the series with his character being killed off in the final season.
