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NBCUniversal chief executive Jeff Shell has left the US media and entertainment giant following an allegation against him of sexual harassment, its parent company has said.

His departure comes after an outside firm conducted an investigation over a complaint about Mr Shell's conduct.

The network's parent company Comcast initially said he was let go over an "inappropriate relationship".

The executive has apologised following his removal.

"I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret," Mr Shell said in a statement.

"I'm truly sorry I let my Comcast and NBCUniversal colleagues down."

Comcast has not yet said who will be the new NBCUniversal boss.

The parent company said in a statement on Sunday that it had "mutually agreed that Mr Shell will depart effective immediately" following the investigation into his alleged conduct.

The probe was led by outside counsel, Comcast said, and was launched after a harassment complaint was filed against Mr Shell by an employee for a Comcast-owned channel.

"The investigation into Mr Shell arose from a complaint by my client of sexual harassment and sex discrimination," Suzanne McKie, a London-based lawyer for the staff member, told the Wall Street Journal. The ����ý is not naming the accuser to protect her privacy.

In a regulatory filing on Monday, Comcast said the probe had uncovered evidence of sexual harassment.

NBCUniversal's senior executives will report directly to Comcast president Mike Cavanagh until a successor for Mr Shell is found.

"We built this company on a culture of integrity. Nothing is more important than how we treat each other," Mr Cavanagh and Comcast chief executive Brian Roberts said in a company-wide email seen by the ����ý.

"When our principles and policies are violated, we will always move quickly to take appropriate action, as we have done here," they added.

The company is home to NBC, which is one of America's biggest television networks, business news channel CNBC, and major Hollywood film studio Universal Pictures.

Mr Shell, who is married, has been at the company for almost two decades and took over as NBCUniversal chief executive in January 2020 - months later, much of the world shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Lockdowns forced the closure of theme parks and cinemas, while film and television productions were halted.

During his tenure, he launched a shakeup of the company, with the aim to make its streaming business and traditional TV operations work more closely together.

As well as owning NBCUniversal, Comcast's operations also include Europe's largest pay-TV broadcaster Sky Group.