ABC pulls Backstreet Boys holiday special following Nick Carter assault allegations

(KTLA) – ABC has canceled next week’s “A Very Backstreet Holiday” after a woman accused Nick Carter of raping her when she was underage.

The Backstreet Boys’ holiday special was filmed in Los Angeles, and was slated to air on Dec. 14. It featured Carter alongside AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, and Howie Dorough. The group debuted their first holiday album, “A Very Backstreet Christmas,” in October.

Seth Rogen, Meghan Trainor and Nikki Glaser were among the many other celebrities slated to attend the special.

On Thursday, a woman named Shay Ruth filed a sexual battery lawsuit against Carter. She claimed the assault happened in a tour bus bathroom in 2001 when she was 17 years old. She said Carter gave her an alcoholic beverage he called “V.I.P. juice.”

Ruth said she begged him to stop and that he made fun of her for being autistic, then warned her not to tell anyone.

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Carter’s attorney Michael Hotlz issued a statement about the accusations which was obtained by Variety.

“This claim about an incident that supposedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue,” the statement read.

The statement continued, with Hotlz accusing Ruth’s lawyer of taking advantage of the situation.

“Unfortunately, for several years now, Ms. Ruth has been manipulated into making false allegations about Nick — and those allegations have changed repeatedly and materially over time. No one should be fooled by a press stunt orchestrated by an opportunistic lawyer — there is nothing to this claim whatsoever, which we have no doubt the courts will quickly realize.”

Carter has previously been accused of rape by singer Melissa Schuman. Schuman has claimed he raped her in the early 2000s, though the statute of limitations expired before charges could be filed.

Carter denied raping Schuman.

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