Jeff Shell’s NBCU Exit Followed Probe Into Relationship With CNBC Journalist
EXCLUSIVE: Multiple sources tell Deadline that the woman who filed the complaint against NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell for inappropriate conduct was CNBC anchor and Senior International Correspondent Hadley Gamble.
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NBCU parent Comcast announced today that Shell is leaving after an investigation by outside counsel; Shell acknowledged that “I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret.” We have reached out to Gamble for comment; there has been no response yet. UPDATE MONDAY: In a SEC filing Monday, Comcast disclosed the nature of the complaint, that Shell “engaged in inappropriate conduct with a female employee, including allegations of sexual harassment.”
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Deadline has learned that Shell had a relationship with Gamble which started about 11 years ago and continued sporadically up until a couple of years ago when it ended. Shell was chairman of NBCUniversal International from 2011 to 2013 before becoming chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment and eventually NBCU CEO in 2020.
The complaint was lodged within the past month, Deadline has learned. The matter went all the way to Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts through the proper channels and was handled expediently, sources said. The outside law firm hired to investigate delivered their findings to top Comcast brass within the past week, we hear.
Deadline has learned that there was communication between Shell and Gamble via company email which came to light in the investigation.
In their company memo about Shell’s exit, Roberts and Comcast President Mike Cavanagh indicated that the former NBCU CEO had violated company policy.
“You should count on your leaders to create a safe and respectful workplace,” they wrote. “When our principles and policies are violated, we will always move quickly to take the appropriate action, as we have done here.”
At this time, it’s our understanding that Shell is leaving quietly to spend time with his family.
Shell is being represented by Hollywood heavyweight litigator Patricia Glaser, we hear. The Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro LLP name partner did not respond to request for comment from Deadline.
Deadline also reached out to NBCUni about Gamble’ filing a complaint about Shell. A rep for the company told us that there’s nothing to further to add beyond the brief announcement released earlier today, citing privacy concerns.
In his statement, Shell, who has been married for a long time, also said, “I’m truly sorry I let my Comcast and NBCUniversal colleagues down, they are the most talented people in the business and the opportunity to work with them the last 10 years has been a privilege.”
No replacement has been named for Shell at this time. In their memo to staff, Roberts and Cavanagh said that in the interim, Shell’s senior team will report directly to Cavanagh.
Gamble covers energy, geopolitics, and financial markets and anchors Capital Connection from CNBC’s Middle East headquarters based within Abu Dhabi Global Markets. She’s also presented the CNBC documentary franchise Access: Middle East, where she speaks to world leaders, international CEOs and philanthropists. Past guests have included Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, King Abdullah of Jordan, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Gamble was the last Western journalist to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin in October 2021 before the war in Ukraine.
Her CNBC bio also reads, “Hadley is a passionate advocate for women in the workplace and their advancement around the world. She moderated the first ever women’s business forum in Saudi Arabia and provided exclusive content to CNBC as the Kingdom lifted its decades-old driving ban.”
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