WARNING: This post contains explicit content.
TORONTO – Former CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi broke his silence Thursday after several women came forward to alleged he was sexually violent towards them.
Ghomeshi said on Facebook he intends “to meet these allegations directly.”
On Wednesday, the Toronto Star reported two of the women alleged the assaults took place in Ghomeshi’s home, where he “introduced them to Big Ears Teddy, a stuffed bear, and he turned the bear around just before he slapped or choked them, saying that ‘Big Ears Teddy shouldn’t see this’.”
After The Star‘s report, a Redditor posted a link to Twitter handle @bigearsteddy, an account that was active in April.
Several tweets from the account accuse Ghomeshi of abuse.
Global News has reached out to the owner of the Twitter account but has not yet received a response.
In July, the Stratford Beacon Herald reported Ghomeshi had a bear when he was child and he bought a replacement as an adult at the request of his therapist to “help him through some anxious moments.”
“Big Ears has played a really important role in my life, because I have a general anxiety disorder,” the newspaper quoted Ghomeshi as saying.
Ghomeshi was fired by the CBC on Sunday after the broadcaster received “information” about the popular “Q” host. The 47-year-old issued a lengthy statement later in the evening saying he was fired for his sexual behaviour.
Since then, eight women have come forward to multiple media outlets and alleged they were abused during sexual encounters with Ghomeshi.
A spokeswoman for Ghomeshi did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Global News.
Comments