Neil Gaiman has reportedly offered to step back from the third and final season of Prime Video’s Good Omens.
The fantasy comedy series was renewed for a final season in December 2023 and is based on the book by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
However, it was reported by Variety earlier this week that production on the final season has been suspended after allegations of sexual assault were levelled against Gaiman by two women in July, claims the writer has strongly denied.
According to an article and podcast by Tortoise, Gaiman was reported to be the subject of a police investigation in New Zealand. The allegations span across two decades and come from women who Gaiman was reportedly in consensual relationships with. However, the women argued they experienced what the publication described as “rough and degrading” sex which they claim was not always consensual.
One woman alleged that Gaiman sexually assaulted her within hours of their first meeting in a bath at his New Zealand residence. The second woman met Gaiman during a book signing and began a consensual relationship with him two years later.
She alleged that there were occasions where she submitted to rough and painful sex “she neither wanted nor enjoyed” and that on another occasion she didn’t consent to sex.
Gaiman strongly denied any accusation of non-consensual sex and later responded to the publication saying: “New Zealand police did not take up his offer of assistance over one woman’s complaint in 2022,” something he says reflects its lack of substance.
Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and Crowley (David Tennant) in ‘Good Omens’ season two. CREDIT: Prime Video
Now, Deadline reports that Gaiman has made a suggestion to Amazon that he reduce his involvement in the show so production can continue amid crisis talks over the show’s future. He has stressed that this is not tantamount to him admitting guilt.
Amazon is currently considering his proposal and no decisions as to his involvement, or lack of, in the show have been made yet. They declined to comment when approached by Deadline.
The third season of Good Omens was in the early stages of pre-production and had been earmarked to start filming in Scotland in January.
Disney’s planned feature adaptation of Gaiman’s 2008 book The Graveyard Book has also been put on ice.
In other news, a petition was launched to bring back Netflix series Dead Boy Detectives – based on Gaiman’s comic book series – after it was axed in the wake of the sexual abuse claims.
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