NBCUniversal CEO to leave company after investigation into ‘inappropriate relationship with woman’

(CNN) – Parent company Comcast announced Sunday that NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell is leaving the company following an outside investigation “into a complaint of inappropriate conduct.”

Shell will step down with immediate effect following an investigation led by outside counsel.

“Today is my last day as CEO of NBCUniversal. I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman from the company, which I deeply regret,” Shell said in a statement. “I am truly sorry I let my colleagues down at Comcast and NBCUniversal, they are the most talented people in the business and it has been a privilege to have worked with them over the past 19 years.”

The brief statement did not identify who the woman was or include any other details about the investigation. CNN has contacted Comcast and NBCUniversal.

Shell was appointed CEO in January 2020 after leading content creation, programming and distribution for NBCUniversal Film and Entertainment.

Shell expressed confidence in NBC’s Peacock streaming service, which had surpassed 20 million subscribers by the end of 2022 and “nearly tripled” its revenue to $2.1 billion, according to its fourth-quarter earnings report, which closed at the end of 2022. Its adjusted loss However, it was higher.

“There’s no doubt that the whole TV landscape is changing,” Shell said in an interview Thursday. “Squawk on the Street” on CNBC last October. “If you have the right content and offer a broad distribution platform, your customers will find you, and that’s what we do with Peacock.”

Comcast will report its results for the first quarter on Thursday.