Child stars of classic sitcom condemn TV dad’s 'inexcusable' sexual abuse history
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Members of the cast of 7th Heaven have publicly denounced their former co-star, Stephen Collins, over allegations that he sexually abused children.
Beverley Mitchell, David Gallagher, and Mackenzie Rosman all starred in the show as children, and shared their thoughts on Collins in an episode of the podcast Catching Up with the Camdens.
Allegations against Collins emerged after he was allegedly recorded by his estranged ex wife Faye Grant admitting to 'inappropriate sexual conduct with three female minors' from 1973 to 1994.
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The recordings were obtained by TMZ in 2014, with Collins and Grant divorcing the following year.
In the family drama, which ran from 1996 to 2007, Collins played Reverend Eric Camden from the fictional town of Glen Oak in California.
Reruns of the show were dropped from syndication after the allegations emerged, and Collins also stepped down from the national board of the Screen Actors Guild.
Taking to the podcast during a rewatch episode, the three former child stars spoke out against Collins.
Mitchell, who played Lucy Camden on the show, said: “We do not excuse or condone his behaviour.
“Our hope for this podcast is to reconnect with you, our fans, to relive some 90s nostalgia and to share our fondest memories of 7th Heaven.”
The former cast members also all said they personally 'did not have any inappropriate experiences' with Collins.
Rosman said: “As we re-watch these episodes, it would be impossible not to talk about Stephen because he was such a big part of the show and our lives.
“But we want to be clear that we did not have any inappropriate experiences with Stephen.”
Gallagher said: “All forms of abuse, sexual abuse of any kind, it’s inexcusable and victims of abuse need to be shown compassion and they should be given support."
Mitchell also said that Collins would not be joining them for the podcast.
The trio also acknowledged that seeing an episode with Collins could be 'triggering' for fans who were themselves survivors of abuse.
Collins admitted to the allegations shortly after the recordings emerged in 2014.
In a statement to PEOPLE addressing the allegations, Collins confessed to the sexual misconduct.
He told the outlet: “Forty years ago, I did something terribly wrong that I deeply regret. I have been working to atone for it ever since."
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org
Topics: Crime, Film and TV, News, US News, Podcast
Kit Roberts