Sesame Street apologizes for 'misunderstandings' over stars' status

Sesame Workshop has apologized for what it calls "misunderstandings around the changing cast roles at Sesame Street."

A statement issued Tuesday by Sesame Workshop CEO Jeffrey D. Dunn attempted to clarify the status of three veteran actors on the long-running children's series: Emilio Delgado, who plays Luis the handyman; Roscoe Orman, who plays Gordon; and Bob McGrath, part of the original cast in 1969.

Last week, a public uproar erupted from McGrath's assertion that he and his co-stars had been fired months before.

• 1, 2, 3 longtime cast members will remain on show, Sesame Street says

• q | 3 Sesame Street veterans may not be evicted after all

The children's show said that McGrath and Delgado last performed in episodes taped in 2013. Orman filmed new appearances for the current season of the show, which, beginning this year, is airing on HBO as well as on PBS.

Dunn said that in 2014 the producers informed all the cast members that demands on them would be reduced in keeping with the series' new half-hour format. However, "the door was left open for all actors to continue to appear" based on future story lines.

But Dunn acknowledged that producers could have done a better job of communicating future episode plans with the three stars in question.

He said he expected to meet with each of them to discuss "how we best adapt their talents to the current content needs and preschool media landscape, in a way that honours their historic contributions."