A Matlock star has been fired from the CBS show after serious allegations surfaced.
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TMZ reported that a source with direct knowledge stated David Del Rio was escorted off the Paramount lot last week after the allegations came to light. The outlet claims Del Rio is accused of sexually assaulting co-star Leah Lewis on Paramount property.
A report of the incident prompted immediate action from the producers of Matlock and CBS Studios. Following an internal investigation, Del Rio was fired and removed from the lot on the same day the alleged assault was reported, Oct. 2, according to Deadline. The outlet’s sources say Matlock executive producer Eric Christian Olsen was among those who escorted him off the premises.
Filming for the show has continued following Del Rio’s departure. The show is set to take a pre-planned hiatus next week after completing half of the new season this week, with production scheduled to resume after Thanksgiving. Due to Del Rio’s sudden exit, the Matlock creative team will need to adjust scripts to write out his character.
Matlock Dealt with Sexual Assault in Its First Season
Matlock was a strong performer for CBS in its first season, averaging 16 million cross-platform viewers over 35 days, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series, a modern update of the 1980s-90s show starring Andy Griffith, features Kathy Bates as a lawyer who restarts her career at a New York firm.
Del Rio played Billy Martinez, a first-year associate at the law firm Jacobson Moore. The firm hires Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Bates), a widowed lawyer, to work under Olympia Lawrence (Skye P. Marshall). Jason Ritter also stars in Matlock alongside Bates, Marshall, and Lewis.
According to Deadline, Episode 3 of the first season addresses sexual assault, with Matlock (Bates) taking on the case of a young lawyer who accuses her boss of assault.
The second season of Matlock is set to premiere on Sunday.