We have an update on the scathing allegations leveled last week by former NCIS star Pauley Perrette.
And they do not look good for Mark Harmon.
Far from it, in fact.
First, a refresher on this unusual and potentially very sordid situation:
Perrette left NCIS last year after 15 seasons as the beloved character of Abby Sciuto.
At the time of her depature, the actress made the stunning accusation that she had been bullied and assaulted on the set of this CBS drama — although she never named the culprit.
"I’ve been supporting ant-bullying programs forever. But now I KNOW because it was ME! If it’s school or work, that you’re required to go to?" she Tweeted in May of last year, adding shortly after her final episode aired:
"It’s horrifying. I left. Multiple Physical Assaults. I REALLY get it now. Stay safe. Nothing is worth your safety. Tell someone."
Wow, right?
Elsewhere at the time, Perrette made mentions of "doing the right thing" because she was trying to "protect crew members" and it was all very odd and mysterious.
Fast forward about a year and Perrette recently responded to talk of whether she would ever return to NCIS.
No way, NEVER EVER EVER, she Tweeted, explaining why in a bit more detail.
“I am terrified of [Mark Harmon] and him attacking me. I have nightmares about it," she wrote a few days ago.
Perrette went on to reassert her claim of assault, yet did not state that Harmon was the person who assaulted her.
According to TMZ, however, the NCIS lead was, indeed, the alleged assailant.
As previously reported/speculated, Harmon brought a rescue dog to the NCIS set in 2016 — and it bit a crew member, prompting him to get 16 stitches.
Perrette, sources say, was aghast at this development, making it clear how she thought the dog should absolutely not be allowed anywhere near the cast or crew again.
Executives eventually compromised with all involved and said Harmon would need to keep the canine on a leash unless it was in his trailer.
But the actor was bitter about Perrette’s role in forcing this decision to be made, only bringing the dog out in her presence, TMZ writes, stirring up all kinds of tension between himself and the actress.
Writers tried hard to limit scenes between Perrette and Harmon in the aftermath.
Then, one day in 2017, Harmon reportedly body-checked Perrette in "what she perceived as payback," TMZ reports, adding word for word:
"We’re told Pauley felt it was an attempt to intimidate her after the dog fiasco."
Perrette has never confirmed this version of events, but her Tweets both last year and this year do seem to back up the part about the crew member being bitten by the dog.
"You think I didn’t expect blow back? You got me wrong," she wrote last week in a since-deleted message, adding:
"THIS happened To my crew member and I fought like hell to keep it from happening again! To protect my crew! And then I was physically assaulted for saying NO!? and I lost my job."
This latter part insiders insist is not true. They say Perrette left the show on her own accord.
She might counter, of course, that she had no real choice after what transpired with Harmon.
As for the network reaction to Perrette’s allegations and social media messages?
"Over a year ago, Pauley came to us with a workplace concern," the network said in a statement to Variety in the spring of 2018.
"We took the matter seriously and worked with her to find a resolution. We are committed to a safe work environment on all our shows.”
The actress, at least in public, accepted this statement at the time.
"I want to thank my studio and network CBS. They have always been so good to me and always had my back," she Tweeted after the message above was released.
We’ll have more on this troubling story as news breaks.
To date, Harmon has not said anything about Perrette departing NCIS or the way in which she has accused him of acting toward her.