Fred Willard Fired by PBS After Arrest, Denies Wrongdoing

Following his arrest Wednesday in Los Angeles on a charge of lewd conduct, Fred Willard has been relieved of his narrating duties for the PBS show Market Warriors, The New York Times reports.

"Given the unfortunate news reported today, effective immediately, Fred Willard no longer will be involved with the Market Warriors series," a spokesman for the Boston PBS station that produces the show, Jeanne Hopkins, told the newspaper. Hopkins also told the Times that Mark Walberg, who hosts the Warriors' flagship show, Antiques Roadshow, will re-voice the episodes that Willard had already taped.

Fred Willard arrested for lewd conduct

Willard, 78, was arrested Wednesday after police claimed they found the actor in a Hollywood movie theater with his penis exposed and in his hand. He was released a short time later.

Willard, however, denied wrongdoing. "With all due respect to the individual officer, our belief is that Fred did nothing in any violation of any law," his attorney, Paul Takajian, told TMZ. "We will be working vigorously to clear his name in this matter."

Catch up on today's latest news

In addition, the manager of the Tiki Theatre, which plays pornographic films, said he also did not see Willard break the law. "Police officers arrested him suspiciously,"  Kazi Jafor told E! News. "I did not see anything."

It is not yet known if ABC will air the remaining episodes of its reality series, Trust Us With Your Life, which Willard also hosts. The show currently airs Tuesdays at 9/8c. An ABC rep could not immediately be reached.

Willard is best known for his roles in Christopher Guest's mockumentary films including Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show.

Do you think PBS did the right thing?