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Matthew Morrison Speaks Out, Reads DM That Allegedly Got Him Fired From ‘SYTYCD’
Matthew Morrison is fighting back against allegations that he sent a “flirty” text to a So You Think You Can Dance female contestant that allegedly resulted in his being fired as a judge on the Fox dance competition show.
The actor posted a Thursday, June 2, Instagram video where he read the exact text he sent. Matthew looked directly into the camera and said, “It’s really unfortunate that I have to sit here and defend myself and my family against blatantly untrue statements made anonymously, but I have nothing to hide so in the interest of transparency, I will read to you the one message I wrote to a dancer on the show: ‘Hey, it’s Matthew. If you don’t mind, would like to get your number and talk you through some things.'”
“I sent this because this dancer and I both share a mutual respect for a choreographer that I’ve known for over 20 years and I was trying to help her get her a job as a choreographer on the show,” he continued, adding, “It’s devastating that we live in this world where gossip rules and people’s lives are being thrown around as clickbait.”
“I think this is much bigger than me and this story. Gossip is toxic, and it’s ruining our society and we need to do better,” the Broadway veteran said, adding, “And in no way do I want this to take away from the show because dance has always been a unifying and healing modality, and I genuinely wish all the contestants and my fellow judges all the best.”
Matthew allegedly was fired for having “an inappropriate relationship with a female contestant,” People reported on Tuesday, May 31. In his statement three days prior, Matthew said he “did not follow competition production protocols” that allowed him to be an impartial judge when announcing his departure.
“They didn’t have sex, but he reached out to her through flirty direct messages on social media,” a source close to the production told the publication. “She felt uncomfortable with his line of comments and went to producers, who then got Fox involved. He was fired after they did their own investigation.”
The insider added, “It was just messages that crossed the line,” and that the former Glee star and the female contestant “never met up off set.”
In Touch reached out to Matthew’s representative as well as Fox about the situation.
Matthew released a statement on Saturday, May 28, that began, “Having the opportunity to be a judge on So You Think You Can Dance was an incredible honor for me. Therefore, it is my deepest regret to inform you that I will be leaving the show.”
He continued, “After filming the audition rounds for the show and completing the selection of the 12 finalists, I did not follow competition production protocols, preventing me from being able to judge the competition fairly.” The American Horror Story star concluded, “I cannot apologize enough to all involved and I will be watching alongside you all on what I know will be one of the best seasons yet.”
Fox responded by releasing a statement that read: “We will soon announce a new judge to join JoJo Siwa and Stephen “tWitch” Boss for the next wave of the competition starting on June 15th featuring the top finalists performing for America’s vote.” So You Think You Can Dance began airing on May 18, and Matthew appears in the first four episodes.
Matthew has been married to wife Renee Puente since October 18, 2014. The couple previously dated for three years before they tied the knot. The pair welcomed son Revel James Makai in March 2018 and added to their family with baby No. 2 when Renee gave birth to daughter Phoenix on June 28, 2021.
A day after her husband announced he was leaving SYTYCD, Renee shared an Instagram video about “mindfulness” and telling fans to “keep shining bright.”
When a follower asked in the comments about the “nasty theories” surrounding Matthew’s sudden departure from the Fox dance competition, Renee responded, “We are not privy to any of the theories and what’s being said out there. Honestly could care less about the gossip. It’s all made up. We know our truth and that’s all the matters. We appreciate the love and support from those like you who truly live heart-fueled, compassionate lives and share the love with us.”
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