‘The Wonder Years’ star reacts to Fred Savage’s exit: “There’s no such thing as bad publicity”

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ABC’s reboot of the classic late ’80s-early ’90s sitcom The Wonder Years was renewed for a second season, a week after executive producer and director Fred Savage, star of the original Wonder Years, was dismissed following allegations of inappropriate conduct.  But at least one of the show’s stars isn’t worried about that taking the focus off all the good things about the Peabody Award-nominated show.

Saycon Sengbloh, who plays the mother of the show’s main character, Dean Williams — a 12-year-old boy growing up in the late ’60s in Montgomery, Alabama — told ABC Audio that the behind-the-scenes news isn’t a bad thing for The Wonder Years.

“You know, news is news. The show is going to be good no matter what happens,” she said. “And people just have to tune in. And honestly, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

“Whatever puts people’s eyes on the show and makes them come to check it out…I’m welcoming more and more viewers, welcoming more people to come and fall in love with us and to enjoy the family show, enjoy the shenanigans,” she adds. “People just need to come and check it out!”

The new season of The Wonder Years doesn’t have a premiere date yet; instead of returning this fall, it’ll premiere mid-season. An ABC exec told Variety that moving The Wonder Years to mid-season has nothing to do with Savage’s exit.

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