Scott Baio Fires Back at Nicole Eggert Abuse Claims, Says He Hopes She’s Miserable

Scott Baio is back denying Nicole Eggert's accusations, and this time he amped it up on a new podcast — going so far as to say he hopes she is miserable. Here is what he said now, what she said then, and where the whole thing sits.

What Baio just said

On the 'Arroyo Grande' podcast, in an episode posted Wednesday, April 24, Baio, 65, called Eggert's claims a cash grab and tied the whole thing to his politics. He says that after he spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2016, some folks assumed he might jump into politics and allegedly wanted to cut that off. In his telling, the allegations were primarily about money, and he insists he has video, audio, and print material he says shows Eggert contradicting herself. His frustration point: people only remember the headline, not the receipts he claims to have.

Baio also says he took two lie detector tests to try to clear his name. He claims someone who was present when, as he puts it, the plan was being put together later told him the goal was to keep him out of politics.

'This person, I don't hope she's happy. I don't. I hope she's miserable because what she did to me and my family was unconscionable.'

He wrapped his comments by saying everything was debunked and that the accusations do not represent who he is. Us Weekly says it reached out to Eggert's spokesperson for comment.

How we got here

In January 2018, Nicole Eggert — who starred with Baio on Charles in Charge and is also known from Baywatch — went on NBC's Today and accused him of sexually abusing her when she was 14. She said Baio, then 26, befriended her when they started working together on the sitcom, where she played Jamie Powell and he played Charles, the live-in housekeeper. Eggert, now 54, alleged that just before her 15th birthday, while they were in his car in the garage at his home, he penetrated her with his finger — and that the sexual touching continued more than 10 times while they worked on the show. Charles in Charge aired from 1984 to 1990.

Eggert said she was intimidated and kept quiet because Baio was the star and, according to her, warned that telling anyone would be illegal, he would go to jail, the show would be shut down, everyone would be sued, and she would lose her job and ruin other people's lives.

• Eggert filed a police report in 2018; prosecutors did not bring charges.
• Baio went on Good Morning America that January and denied any abuse or misconduct, saying her story kept changing. He argued the alleged behavior would have been impossible on a sitcom set filled with teachers, parents, crew, producers, and even his own father, and pointed to what he called a previously disproven claim about them having sex when she was 17.
• In February 2018, their Charles in Charge costar Alexander Polinsky held a press conference with attorney Lisa Bloom and accused Baio of bullying him with homophobic taunts, pulling his pants down on set, throwing a cup of hot tea in his face, and telling him he would 'never be loved by a woman' because he was 'so effeminate.' Polinsky said he dreaded the teasing and called the environment 'mental torture.'
• Baio denied each and every one of Polinsky's allegations.

Where it stands

Baio is still adamant that the accusations are false, calling them debunked and saying he even took two polygraphs to prove it. Eggert's 2018 police report did not lead to charges. As for this week's new comments, a spokesperson for Eggert was asked for comment by the outlet that reported Baio's interview.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.