Jeffrey Tambor quits Transparent following sexual harassment allegations

Jeffrey Tambor has exited Amazon’s award-winning comedy-drama after allegations of sexual harassment on set.

Speaking to Deadline, he said: “Playing Maura Pfefferman on Transparent has been one of the greatest privileges and creative experiences of my life.

“What has become clear over the past weeks, however, is that this is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago.

“I’ve already made clear my deep regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being aggressive, but the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue.

“Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to Transparent.”

The news comes after two women accused him of sexual misconduct while on set, the first being his former assistant Van Barnes, and the second, co-star Trace Lysette (below).

The first accusation he said was ‘baseless’, and called Barnes ‘a disgruntled former assistant’.

But though he continues to deny any wrongdoing, he apologised to Lysette, categorising any impropriety as a ‘misunderstanding’, adding that he is ‘not a predator’.

Tambor won his first Emmys for the show, after seven years of nominations, and became the first actor to win an Emmy for playing a transgender character. He also scooped a Golden Globe for the role in 2014.

Meanwhile, it emerged last week that writers on the show were exploring ways to write him out of the series for its fifth season.

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