The group was set to perform songs from its recently released Christmas album on the special, which was scheduled to air Dec. 14
Digital News Writer, PEOPLE
ABC has canceled the Backstreet Boys Christmas special in the wake of a sexual assault lawsuit against Nick Carter, Variety reported.
A Very Backstreet Holiday, which was scheduled to air Dec. 14, was set to feature Carter and bandmates Kevin Richardson, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell and Howie Dorough, as well as Seth Rogen, Meghan Trainor, Rob Riggle and Nikki Glaser, among others.
On Thursday, Carter, 42, was sued by a woman named Shannon Ruth, who alleged that she was 17 years old when Carter, then 21, sexually assaulted her on his tour bus after a concert in 2001, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.
A source close to the singer has denied the allegations.
Michael Holtz, an attorney for Carter, later added in a statement sent to PEOPLE, “This claim about an incident that supposedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue.
