In the wake of Chris Hardwick's "stepping down" as moderator of THE WALKING DEAD's San Diego Comic Con panel lineup, AMC has announced that Yvette Nicole Brown (COMMUNITY) will now lead the annual entertainment event. As the former host of TALKING DEAD, a weekly follow-up spoiler show for the ultra-popular zombie survival program, Hardwick had always been a natural to host AMC's big to-do. However, Hardwick has seen his once shining star crackle and burn in recent times after allegations that he'd emotionally and sexually abused his ex-girlfriend Chloe Dykstra had surfaced. As a repeat guest of the con, Brown is now set to take center stage when she helms both THE WALKING DEAD and FEAR THE WALKING DEAD panels.
Details concerning the panel are still being finalized, though we have learned that the event will take place between 11:15 – 1:15 PST inside Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center. Scheduled to appear as guests of either panel are Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Norman Reedus, FearTWD’s Kim Dickens, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo and Lennie James plus EPs Gale Anne Hurd, Robert Kirkman and new TWD showrunner Angela Kang among others.
As of the moment, Hardwick has denied the allegations set upon him by Dykstra, while stating that he'd played no part in causing her emotional or physicl distress. Shortly after Hardwick was accused, AMC said that “while we assess the situation, Talking with Chris Hardwick will not air on AMC.” While Brown has not yet been named as Hardwick's permanent replacement, it's suspected by many that the SDCC gig is a trial run for the DC SUPER HERO GIRLS star, and that her appointment as the new host of show is only a matter of time.