CBS fires ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ showrunner Brad Kern after misconduct investigation

CBS addresses its investigation into "NCIS: New Orleans" showrunner Brad Kern. (screengrab)

CBS has fired embattled “NCIS: New Orleans” showrunner Brad Kern after multiple allegations of misconduct were investigated by an outside counsel.

"We have ended Brad Kern's role as consulting producer on ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ and his overall deal with the studio," a CBS spokesperson told Fox News.

The Hollywood Reporter -- which first broke the news -- reported that “Kern harassed and unfairly penalized women, repeatedly bullied a nursing mother and made racially insensitive statements,” among other claims.

Former CBS Chief Executive Les Moonves resigned last month after at least 12 women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct in a pair of New Yorker articles authored by Pulitzer Prize winner Ronan Farrow. The Hollywood Reporter noted that “several former ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ employees reached Monday said that they believe Kern would still be working at CBS” if Moonves were still running the network.

"This is the domino effect," one former “NCIS: New Orleans” staffer told THR. "I hope all the networks take a much closer look at who they give power to and how those people treat their employees, and pay serious attention to who gets propped up and protected, even if they harass people or behave inappropriately.”

CBS announced after Moonves’ exit that it would donate $20 million to organizations "that support the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace."

Last December, Kern was initially accused of sexual harassment and discrimination against a woman and of using racially insensitive remarks in the workplace, Variety previously reported. CBS said that investigators did find evidence of “insensitive” and “offensive” comments, but none of any harassment or discrimination.

Additional accusations resulted in CBS Television Studios hiring an outside investigator "to look into allegations of harassment and misconduct," THR reported back in June.

"My thoughts are with everyone who had worked for Mr. Kern who was unjustly fired, made miserable until they quit or otherwise endured unpleasantness. I hope that this signals the end of the era of showrunning he represented,” another “NCIS: New Orleans” staffer told THR.

“NCIS: New Orleans” is a spinoff of the famed “NCIS” starring Scott Bakula, Lucas Black and Rob Kerkovich.

Kern previously worked as a showrunner for “Charmed,” “New York Undercover” and “Human Target.”

Fox News’ Mariah Hass and Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.