As showrunner Neil Gaman denies sexual assault claims

Production has been paused on the third and final season of fantasy comedy-drama Good Omens, it has been reported.

Hollywood website Deadline says the show has been put on hiatus for ‘discussions about possible production changes’ – although a spokesperson would not comment.

The news comes after five women made claims that showrunner Neil Gaiman sexually assaulted them – allegations the writer strongly denies.

BBC Studios’ comedy department is making the programme for Amazon Prime, shooting in Scotland, after the streamer greenlit the season in December 

It stars David Tennant as demon Crowley and Michael Sheen as angel Aziraphale and is based on a book Gaiman wrote with the late Sir Terry Pratchett.

Originally conceived as a limited series, which launched on BBC Two and globally on Prime Video in May 2019, and became a worldwide hit. This led to the series being renewed for a second season, which premiered in July 2023, and then the third.

Gaiman has a first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios, which also includes an adaptation of his book Anansi Boys, which has been shot but not yet released, with a cast that includes Malachi Kirby, Fiona Shaw, Jason Watkins a and Whoopi Goldberg.

Last week, Disney paused a feature-film adaptation of another of Gaiman’s novels, The Graveyard Book,

In July, a Tortoise Media podcast report, partly compiled by Boris Johnson’s journalist sister Rachel, featured  claims of sexual assault against Gaiman by two women in 2022 and 2003, with three more women subsequently coming forward.  

Gaiman, 63, said offered to assist the New Zealand police following the more recent allegations, relating to incidents which happened there, but it was not taken up.  He said both that and the 2003 relationships were consensual.

When season three of Good Omens was announced, he said: "I'm so happy finally to be able to finish the story Terry and I plotted in 1989 and in 2006. Terry was determined that if we made Good Omens for television, we could take the story all the way to the end. 

‘Season One was all about averting Armageddon, dangerous prophecies, and the End of the World. Season Two was sweet and gentle, although it may have ended less joyfully than a certain Angel and Demon might have hoped. 

‘Now in Season Three, we will deal once more with the end of the world. The plans for Armageddon are going wrong. Only Crowley and Aziraphale working together can hope to put it right. And they aren't talking.’

Published: 10 Sep 2024