San Diego Comic-Con 2018: Yvette Nicole Brown To Replace Chris Hardwick On ‘The Walking Dead’ Panel

Since the June 14 accusations by Chris Hardwick’s ex-girlfriend, Chloe Dykstra, AMC and Hardwick have distanced themselves while matters are resolved. Now, Deadline has announced that Chris Hardwick will be replaced by Yvette Nicole Brown on his San Diego Comic-Con panels later this month.

Since news broke about Dykstra’s claims of sexual assault and emotional abuse, AMC has pulled the upcoming program Talking With Chris Hardwick according to the Hollywood Reporter. In addition, he has “also been scrubbed from Nerdist, which Hardwick helped create and hosted a podcast.”

Chris Hardwick was scheduled to head the popular AMC panels for The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, along with his Doctor Who San Diego Comic-Con duties. While AMC is yet to make the official announcement in regard to Hardwick’s replacement on the panels, both Deadline, and the Hollywood Reporter are claiming Yvette Nicole Brown will replace Hardwick.

Yvette Nicole Brown has always been a fan favorite to replace Chris Hardwick in relation to The Walking Dead franchise. When she appears on Talking Dead, her enthusiasm for the two shows and her binder books of notes have made her an adored guest according to fans. So, to have her head the upcoming 2018 San Diego Comic-Con Walking Dead panels seems a given.

In addition, Yvette Nicole Brown has also had previous panel experience at San Diego Comic-Con. Prior to this year’s event, she has hosted, among others, ABC’s Once Upon a Time panel.

According to Deadline, the Walking Dead panel will commence in Hall H at 11.15 a.m. and will likely include the following guests.

“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.”

As with previous years, it is also expected that a new trailer for The Walking Dead and the Season 9 premiere date will be announced during San Diego Comic-Con 2018.

Since Chloe Dykstra published her Medium blog post titled, “Rose-Colored Glasses: A Confession,” Chris Hardwick has denied the allegations. He claimed to the Hollywood Reporter that their “three-year-relationship was not perfect.” He also denies ever raping Dykstra. Hardwick’s wife, Lydia Hearst, has defended her husband. His ex-girlfriend, Jacinda Barrett, has also shown her support for Hardwick. However, until the allegations are resolved, AMC has distanced itself from their popular host.

As yet, it is unclear whether Yvette Nicole Brown will also replace Chris Hardwick on his Talking Dead program when The Walking Dead resumes with Season 9 later this year.