Mr Selfridge actor Jeremy Piven unleashes furious attack over ‘unfounded’ sex abuse claims made against ho derailing his career
JEREMY PIVEN might be launching a new career as a comedian but the sex abuse accusations he faced were no laughing matter.
The Mr Selfridge actor saw CBS series Wisdom Of The Crowd cancelled and his reputation tarnished in the wake of allegations made by eight women — none of which have warranted police investigations.
Jeremy believes he became an “easy target” during the Harvey Weinstein scandal as the public assumed he was like TV character Ari Gold — the aggressive, womanising and loathsome agent he plays in Entourage.
Speaking for the first time about the impact the claims have had on his career, he said: “You play a major Hollywood guy, who is very abrasive, and we all know those people — they exist, and they’re not so fun. It’s fun to watch, but we don’t want to be around them.
“That’s an easy target to take a shot at. Not only who wouldn’t believe it, but who wouldn’t rally behind it to take that guy down?’”
And Jeremy insists he is nothing like his Entourage character in real life — and worked hard to build up his Hollywood profile.
He explains: “I am a journeyman actor, stage actor. I am a Jewish stage actor. There is no white privilege. I did 40 movies before I did Entourage where I’m playing blah blah blah’s best friend, we were getting scale plus-ten [better pay and work conditions] and I’m grinding and I wouldn’t change a thing, OK? So I’ve earned every crumb in my life.”
Jeremy, who has made a successful transition into stand-up, says the #MeToo movement has been weakened by the number of false claims by accusers looking to get money and fame off the back of it.
On a podcast with comic Andrew Schulz, he added: “The biggest tragedy of opportunists coming out of the woodwork is that the real victims are taking a step back.”
READ MORE FROM ANDY HALLS' BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Dan in tasty cheese role
FORMER EastEnder Danny-Boy Hatchard is joining Michelle Keegan’s BBC1 Army drama Our Girl as Private Rhett “Cheese” Charlton – a confident, cool squaddie with a manipulative edge.
Cheese has history with another recruit which they would far rather forget and he often takes jokes too far, with dangerous results, during the forthcoming fourth series.
Danny-Boy, who played Lee Carter in EastEnders, said: “I’m buzzing to be joining the iconic 2 Section. Our Girl has always done a fantastic job representing British troops, so I can’t wait to help them tell some cool stories.”
Must Watch
WHAT? The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes, Channel 4, 9pm.
WHY? Michelin chef Josh Eggleton tasks the team with catering for a big event to see if the experiment has eased their dementia symptoms.#
DISH THE DIRT AGGIE
HAVING risen to fame as one half of the nation’s most famous cleaning duo, Aggie Mackenzie has a dirty secret – she still hires a cleaner.
The former How Clean Is Your House? presenter – who had a bitter fallout with co-host Kim Woodburn – has revealed she employs domestic help even though her sons have moved out.
She said: “I’m embarrassed that I’ve not been able to say, ‘I don’t need you any more’. I live on my own – why would I need a cleaner?”
Aggie, inset, is back on TV on Channel 4’s Celebrity Craft Masters, hosted by Kirstie Allsopp, on weeknights at 5pm. But she has ruled out a reunion with ex-pal Kim.
She said: “We’d both want ridiculous amounts of money to ease the pain. They wouldn’t have the budget.”
Biz Bit
SIX contestants were dumped from last night’s Love Island in a brutal recoupling as the girls returned from Casa Amor. Jordan and Amber were allowed to stay on the show despite being snubbed by Anna and Michael.
Corrie trist so bored
THERE’S been a huge exodus of stars on Coronation Street in the past six months and now I know why: They are bored to tears with the storylines.
Tristan Gemmill is among those heading for the door, along with Faye Brookes, Gina Seddon, Lucy Fallon and Kym Marsh.
And Tristan says it’s because of the repetitive nature of the soap’s plots.
The actor, who has played bistro owner Robert Preston since 2015, said: “I’ve had an awful lot of great stories but I think as an actor you have to be slightly wary about repetition.
“There’s always a time to move on.”
His exit storyline will see Michelle Connor – played by fellow quitter Kym – discover on her wedding day that husband-to-be Robert has got someone else pregnant.
Tristan announced his departure in April and says he has no “solid plans” for the future.
He added: “I don’t know what I want to do next. I’m just going to be open to the world and see what happens.
“I think there’s always a time to step away and face the challenges that may lay ahead and that’s where I am at the moment.”
It’s telling that he was so fed up with life on the Corrie cobbles that he hasn’t even got anything lined up.
Biz Bit
AMAZON Prime is set to launch a new six-part series, This Is Football, exploring how the game unites the world. The documentary, to be shown in more than 200 countries, will kick off on August 2 exclusively on the streaming service.
SOAP BOX
IN CORONATION STREET, Peter and Carla return from Carlisle and move back into Roy’s flat.
Carla is on medication and frail but lucid. After a visit from her key worker, she packs Peter off to an AA meeting then goes to see her staff at the community centre.
She gets a mixed welcome, but tells the staff she has something to tell them.
Meanwhile in EMMERDALE, a troubled Jessie is told that human bones have been uncovered at the school.
She shares the news at The Woolpack as Jacob reaches out to Maya.
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