Lewdness claims take Charlie Rose off air

NEW YORK — PBS said Monday it is immediately halting distribution of Charlie Rose’s interview program, and CBS News suspended him after The Washington Post’s report of eight women who accused the veteran newsman of multiple unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate behavior.

The women, three of whom spoke on the record in the deeply-reported story, accused Rose of groping them, walking naked in front of them and relating an erotic dream.

Rose told the Post that he was “deeply embarrassed” and apologized for his behavior.

Rose’s PBS show features his in-depth interviews with newsmakers. The 75-year-old journalist is one of three hosts of CBS This Morning and is also a contributor to 60 Minutes.

The Post investigation published Monday details unwanted sexual advances toward the women, aged 21 to 37 at the time, worked at Charlie Rose from the 1990s to 2010, the report said.

CBS has yet to comment on the story.

The report is a potentially punishing blow to CBS This Morning, which is the most successful morning franchise in the network’s history. After decades of struggle against NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America, the team of Rose and co-anchors Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell has given CBS its best morning ratings in 29 years.

Rose and King became co-anchors of the program in 2012. O’Donnell joined the show in July of that year, six months after its launch.

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