ABC pulls A Very Backstreet Holiday after Nick Carter sexual assault allegations

[Note: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault.]

ABC has pulled an upcoming holiday special, A Very Backstreet Holiday, from its upcoming schedule, Variety reports, after sexual assault allegations against Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter were made public earlier this week.

Specifically, Carter has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman while on tour with the band in 2001, when he was 21, and when his accuser, Shannon Ruth, was 17. Ruth, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, has said that Carter forced himself on her after a concert in Tacoma, Washington, continuing even after she “begged him to stop.” She also said that Carter infected her with HPV during the alleged assault, threatened her to maintain silence, and told her that no one would believe her if she reported the incident. Ruth is suing Carter for sexual battery.

Carter’s lawyer issued a statement denying the accusations this week, claiming that Ruth—who has autism and cerebral palsy—is being manipulated by “an opportunistic lawyer.” Carter’s lawyer also called the accusations, which they claim have been ongoing for several years, “a press stunt.” Regardless of these claims, ABC has decided not to move forward with airing the special, which was filmed last month in Los Angeles, and which was scheduled to air on December 14. Seth Rogen, Meghan Trainor, Rob Riggle, Nikki Glaser, Ron Funches, and Atsuko Okatsuka were all scheduled to appear in the special, alongside Carter and the other four members of the band.

Variety confirmed that the holiday special has been pulled from next week’s TV schedule, although ABC hasn’t made a statement about the decision. Meanwhile, the Backstreet Boys have continued to perform amidst the allegations; on Friday night, the group performed, per People, at iHeartRadio’s annual Jingle Ball concert at Madison Square Garden.