Actress Cybill Shepherd says her 1990s CBS sitcom could have continued for several more seasons, but was pulled after she turned down advances from Les Moonves, the embattled media executive accused of sexual misconduct by a dozen women.
Shepherd, who was the star of her titular TV show, recalled how "painful" it was to see it get canceled in 1998 after three years on the air.
"My show could have run another five years, but I didn't fall on the right side of Les," she said during an interview on SiriusXM's The Michelle Collins Show that aired Wednesday.
"I wasn't going to fall at all for Les," she added.
Shepherd said during a dinner date, Moonves began telling her that his wife and mistress didn't "turn him on."
"And I'm watching him drink alcohol, and he says, 'Why don't you let me take you home,'" Shepherd said.
The actress, 68, said she declined the offer and told Moonves that her friend was outside waiting for her. She said it was shortly afterward that she began receiving notes about what her character on "Cybill" could and could not do or say.
Shepherd said she was also not allowed into the editing room to work on the final two episodes of the series.
"It was very painful," she said. "I just loved being a part of editing as a collaboration."
A request for comment by NBC News to Moonves’ lawyer and representative were not immediately returned.
Moonves has been accused of sexual misconduct by 12 women. One of his accusers, former actor June Seley Kimmel, told NBC News that during a pitch meeting with Moonves in 1985 he "got up and came over and he hugged me."
She added: "I thought it was very nice, and then he grabbed me very hard, and he didn't kiss me. He just stuck his tongue in my mouth."
She said the project was never made, and she thinks it was because she did not have sex with Moonves. Other women have also come forward with similar claims.
Moonves has denied the sexual misconduct allegations against him. He resigned as chief executive of CBS in September, but remains in a standoff with the company over his $120 million severance package.
The CBS board held its annual meeting Tuesday, but did not discuss Moonves' exit pay. The board has until the end of January to make a decision.