Swiss television imposes 'ban' on famous actor
Marco Ferrara, a spokesperson for the Swiss channel RTS, announced that two films starring the famous actor, which had previously been scheduled for broadcast during the Christmas and New Year holidays, have been pulled from the schedule.
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Switzerland's public television channel RTS has decided to stop airing films featuring famous movie star Gérard Depardieu, who is facing at least three lawsuits in France for the alleged rape of multiple women.
RTS announced that films in which Depardieu plays "significant roles" will no longer be shown.
FILMS REMOVED FROM BROADCAST
The Swiss channel's spokesperson, Marco Ferrara, told AFP that as part of this decision, two films starring the famous actor, which had previously been announced for broadcast during the Christmas and New Year holidays, have been removed from the schedule.
Marco Ferrara stated, "When we feel that the majority of our viewers might be offended by a previously accepted work or personality, we can occasionally pull such programs from the air."
Last week, approximately sixty prominent figures from the French arts world expressed support for the world-renowned artist Gérard Depardieu, who has been under investigation for rape since 2020 and has become the target of public criticism following footage aired on a television channel.
In a joint article signed by famous French cinema directors such as Bertrand Blier, as well as actors like Nathalie Baye, Charlotte Rampling, Jacques Weber, and Pierre Richard, and singers like Carla Bruni and Jacques Dutronc, the "lynching" of Depardieu was condemned.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Earlier this month, a report on the famous actor aired on France 2, the country's most-watched state channel, in the program "Complément d'enquête," which caused a shockwave internationally.
In the footage, Depardieu was seen making "hostile and derogatory" remarks about women, including sexually explicit comments about a young girl.
French President Emmanuel Macron also commented on the matter, and like Depardieu's family, he put forward the theory that the footage might have been edited.
However, the "France Télévisions" group announced in a statement that the footage had been "certified" by a notary as not being edited.
Following the scandal that erupted after the program aired, the Canadian province of Quebec revoked Depardieu's Order of Merit, and the municipality of Estaimpuis in Belgium stripped the famous actor of his honorary citizenship. The wax statue of the actor at the famous Grévin Museum in Paris was also removed.