John Skipper was forced to resign at ESPN after he was extorted by a person he bought cocaine from, the ex-network president revealed in a bombshell interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
Skipper’s departure from ESPN in December sent shockwaves through the industry, and the abrupt nature of it is now clear.
“They threatened me, and I understood immediately that threat put me and my family at risk, and this exposure would put my professional life at risk as well,” Skipper told the magazine. “I foreclosed that possibility by disclosing the details to my family, and then when I discussed it with [Disney CEO] Bob [Iger], he and I agreed that I had placed the company in an untenable position and as a result, I should resign.”
Skipper said he had always been cautious about his drug use, but “not this time. It turned out I wasn’t careful this time.”