Jeff Shell is leaving as chief government of NBCUniversal after an investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct with a feminine colleague, dad or mum firm Comcast mentioned on Sunday.

Shell, who has served as the highest government of the media community since January 2020, mentioned in a press release supplied by Comcast that he “had an inappropriate relationship with a girl within the firm”. Comcast mentioned his dismissal comes after an investigation led by exterior counsel.

A 19-year veteran of the corporate, Shell oversaw a sprawling empire at NBCUniversal, starting from the NBC tv networks to the Common movie studios and resorts. Lately he has grappled with the problem of elevating subscriptions on the Peacock streaming service, which has reached greater than 20mn clients however lags far behind Netflix and Disney Plus.

Shell’s staff — which incorporates Common chair Donna Langley and Mark Lazarus, head of the tv and streaming enterprise — will now report back to Mike Cavanagh, Comcast’s president.

Individuals who have labored with Shell say he had lengthy loved the belief of Brian Roberts, Comcast chair and CEO. In a memo to employees seen by the FT, Roberts mentioned he was “dissatisfied” to share the information of Shell’s departure. He added that workers ought to be capable of rely on “leaders to create a secure and respectful office”.

“When our rules and insurance policies are violated, we are going to at all times transfer shortly to take acceptable motion, as we have now performed right here,” Roberts wrote within the memo, which was additionally signed by Cavanagh.

Shell’s departure follows different high-profile dismissals at NBC. In 2020, Common vice-chair Ron Meyer was fired after confessing to creating a settlement with a girl over a consensual affair. Matt Lauer, as soon as the face of US morning information staple the As we speak present, was fired in 2017 after claims of inappropriate sexual behaviour with staffers.