Ex-HBO CEO Albrecht on Leave at Legendary Amid Book Scandal

Chris Albrecht, a former chairman and chief executive officer of entertainment giant HBO, has been placed on leave at his current workplace, Legendary Entertainment, amid allegations published in a new book that he disparaged a staffer who left HBO decades ago.

Albrecht denies the allegations. A spokesperson for Legendary confirmed that Albrecht, president of Legendary Television, was put on leave, without elaborating on the reasons for the move. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the development, citing a forthcoming book “It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO.” The book details Albrecht’s alleged ill treatment of an employee who quit HBO after a settlement mediated by the media company.