Neil Gaiman had “rough and abusive sex” with two women in their 20s for two decades, according to allegations made against the “Good Omens” actor in New Zealand. The allegations are the subject of a four-part podcast series investigation by Tortoise.
Gaiman has denied both allegations.
Both women said in “Master: Allegations Against Neil Gaiman” that they were in a consensual relationship with Gaiman when the assaults occurred. Scarlett, 23, claimed Gaiman sexually assaulted her shortly after hiring her as a nanny for his child in 2022. She accused Gaiman of engaging in “rough and degrading sexual activity” with her and provided Tortoise with “contemporaneous messages, notes” that “support her allegations.”
Gaiman says the relationship was consensual and lasted three weeks, and that it did not escalate beyond heavy molestation. He has strongly denied all allegations of abusive behavior.
The second woman, identified only by the name K., said she met Gaiman at a book signing in 2003, when she was 18. She said the relationship between them began when she was 20 and Gaiman was 40 and that the author sometimes had painful sex with her “which she neither wanted nor enjoyed.”
Gaiman has strongly denied this and described the allegations as “disturbing”.
Tortoise said that “he understands that Kay's allegations are motivated by her regret over their relationship and that Scarlett was suffering from a condition involving false memories at the time of her relationship with him,” but stressed that Gaiman's statement “is not supported by her medical records and medical history.”
In addition to denying both claims, Gaiman also claims that police in New Zealand did not accept his offer of help with the 2022 claim, which he says shows the claim is not strong. Officers told Tortoise they made “numerous attempts to speak to key people as part of this investigation and those efforts are still ongoing.”
The Tortoise Podcast is hosted by Rachel Johnson, the younger sister of former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Its producers are former BBC anchor Katy Gunning and Paul Caruana Galizia.