Timothy Busfield complained to the jury that his “career is done” as he faces child sex abuse charges.
“My children, grandchildren, everybody in my life is done because of these false allegations for money and for revenge,” the actor said during his grand jury testimony in February, according to docs recently obtained by USA Today.
“These two criminals [the boys’ parents] have ruined me. And my wife [Melissa Gilbert] and her business, I’m not going to break that,” he added in the February hearing.
The “Revenge of the Nerds” actor said his “career is done” and that he was “canceled.”
“I’ll never work again just based on people’s fear that I would do this again and, and even if it wasn’t true, I’m done,” he testified.
“I’ve lost TV shows, a movie they’ve digitally replaced me from. My agency fired me. I’m done. This is not about me or a pity thing,” Busfield, 69, added.
During his testimony, the director denied inappropriately touching — but admitted to tickling them and having his arms around them.
He also claimed the twin boys and claimed their parents allegedly orchestrated the false allegation because the child actors were dropped from the fourth season of “The Cleaning Lady,” in which Busfield produced and occasionally directed.
The twin actors were reportedly making $30,000 combined salary per episode.
“[The boys] are the victims of these criminals. It’s terrible. I shouldn’t call them criminals,” he claimed.
“The parents would coach the kids and manufacture [the lies]. I find that horrible for those young boys’ lives, that they’re going to have to live with those lives,” Busfield told the jury.
Busfield, 69, was arrested in January on charges of child abuse and criminal sexual contact of a minor over allegedly inappropriately touching the two 7-year-old actors on the Fox series.
One of the boys claimed the “Thirtysomething” alum touched his genitals over his clothes several times.
Busfield vehemently denied the “horrible” allegations, telling TMZ that he “did not do anything to those little boys.”
In February, Busfield was officially charged with four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child under the age of 13.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Despite the allegations, Gilbert, 62, has remained by her husband’s side, saying Busfield was “the last person in the world who would hurt a child.”
She also showed her support by attending his court hearing in January.
Busfield’s trial is slated to begin in May 2027.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
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