Sex harassment charge against CBS star Matt Gutman is DROPPED after former colleague removes him from lawsuit

A former colleague of CBS star Matt Gutman has asked a California judge to dismiss him from her explosive lawsuit, in which she accused him of sexual harassment in the workplace.

Samira Said, a former ABC field producer, asked the court to drop Gutman from her wrongful termination lawsuit against her former employer and its parent company, Disney, according to court documents obtained by The Daily Mail.

She had accused Gutman, who was named as a defendant, of making crude sexual remarks during their time working together, which she said created a ‘hostile work environment.’

On Friday, her lawyers filed a request for dismissal in Los Angeles County Superior Court, though it remains unclear what triggered the move.  

‘Plaintiff agrees to dismiss the Individual Defendants and all claims against them without prejudice,’ attorneys wrote. 

While Gutman may be exiting the lawsuit, ABC and Disney remain in the crosshairs. 

Friday’s request detailed the terms both parties would agree to, including that the defendants would not be considered ‘prevailing parties’ and therefore would not be entitled to recover legal fees or costs. 

Lawyers also wrote that Said cannot be questioned about why she initially sued Gutman or later dropped him, but his alleged conduct remains fair game if it is relevant to her claims against ABC. 

The request comes just weeks after she filed her wrongful termination lawsuit on August 14, alleging two instances of ‘discrimination, retaliation and harassment’ involving Gutman.

In one, Said claimed she was placed on an all-male team that included Gutman, who worked on-air, and two other male crew members, forcing them to wait together in a public queue during an assignment.

She alleged that Gutman launched into a conversation about rating another female colleague’s appearance, reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based solely on her looks, according to the lawsuit obtained by The Daily Mail. 

‘The male crew joined in, continuing to assess the woman’s body and looks in Said’s presence,’ the suit read.

The men then allegedly ‘attempted’ to involve her in the conversation, but she said she declined and told them the discussion was inappropriate. 

On another occasion, during a press day, she alleged she and Gutman clashed over leaving the area after he questioned whether she wanted to leave because she had an ‘after-hours date in the city.’ 

Said claimed that Gutman made the remark ‘audibly to others’ which she said ‘demeaned’ her and ‘reduced her professional judgement to a sexualized stereotype.’ 

ABC and Disney remain defendants in the filing, with Said claiming she was wrongfully terminated in 2025 after experiencing mental health issues. 

She alleged the company failed to provide reasonable accommodations required under California law. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorneys’ fees. 

Gutman, 48, was the first major on-air hire by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, who took the reins of the division in October. 

He recently filled in behind the ‘CBS Evening News’ anchor desk, drawing higher ratings than regular host Tony Dokoupil. He spent 17 years at ABC News, where he was largely based in Los Angeles.

Representatives for Gutman, Said, and Disney have been contacted for comment.