Quebec comedian Philippe Bond has announced he is stepping away from public life following the publication of an article in which several women accuse him of sexual misconduct.
The article, published in La Presse on Thursday, detailed alleged assaults by eight women.
In a short message posted to Bond's verified Instagram account, the comedian says he is "stunned" by what he read in the article.
He also stated that he does not recognize the person described in it.
"Out of respect for my collaborators and employers who have been with me for years and because I want to avoid having to answer an avalanche of questions from journalists, I am withdrawing from everything: public life, radio and shows," he said.
Bond concluded his message by saying he is upset by what his children and wife now have to go through with him.
Bell Media, which owns the Énergie radio station where Bond was a co-host, said in a written statement Thursday that the comedian is no longer with the company.
"Our work environment is built on principles of fairness, respect and collaboration and every allegation is taken seriously and dealt with promptly. With this in mind, Bell Media has decided to sever its business relationship with Philippe Bond," the statement read.
"He will no longer be part of our radio programming, we will also suspend the broadcast of his interviews and individual performances on all our platforms."
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 21, 2022.
With files from CTV News Montreal
