'Southern Charm' reunion will not see return of Thomas Ravenel amid sexual assault allegations
'Southern Charm' actor Thomas Ravenel will have to get his reunion with the other cast members at a later date because the star will officially not be a member of the cast and crew of the TV show's reunion due to the multiple sexual assault allegations that he is currently facing.
Bravo executives confirmed to People Magazine that the 55-year-old will not be attending the reunion show which tapes in New York next week. "The network confirms Thomas will not be at the reunion," a Bravo rep told the publication.
Before the news of the actor not joining the reunion came out, it was speculated that Ravenel, who is the former State Treasurer of South Carolina and son of former South Carolina Congressman Arthur Ravenel Jr., would eventually be dropped out of the second season of the show.
When asked about the news of the investigation, the network sent a statement that said, "Haymaker, the production company for 'Southern Charm,' and Bravo take allegations like these very seriously. Haymaker is conducting an investigation, and once all the information is gathered and carefully reviewed, appropriate action will be taken."
However, when contacted later about Ravenel's return, the network said, that "no decision has been made yet and the investigation is still ongoing."
According to reports, it was Ravanel's children's nanny who was the first person to report the alleged offender to the police.
Ravenel is currently in the wake of two separate sexual assault allegations from women, out of which one claim is, as of now, under investigation by the authorities. In early May, Charleston police issued a confirmation that they were indeed looking into Ravenel for an alleged sexual assault that took place in January 2015.
The nanny was the second woman of the two people who has come forward and claimed that Ravenel sexually assaulted them.
On April 14, model and real estate agent Ashley Perkins too came out with her own story, and said that the reality star "settled a sexual assault case involving her mother two years ago."
In a statement to Bustle, Perkins said, "I want to see Thomas Ravenel removed from Bravo and not just because of what he allegedly did to my mother but because of the negative comments he posts on social media on a regular basis."
However, the State Treasurer has through and through denied all the allegations of sexual assault that have come his way. His lawyers even issued an official statement in reference to the charges, saying that their client has done nothing of the sort to deserve such unjust treatment.
"My client enjoys a certain degree of fame, which has unfortunately made him a vulnerable target for such claims," Ravenel's attorney Richard P. Terbrusch said in a statement.
"The person this woman describes is simply not the man that I know. My client is a loving father, successful businessman, and upright member of the community. He is appalled and hurt by these allegations — and is committed to defending his reputation in the appropriate legal forum."