Bill Cosby's longtime producer breaks silence

Tom Werner said The Cosby Show remained important to him. Photo / Getty Images, AP

Bill Cosby's longtime producer has broken his silence on the disgraced comedy star after 35 women accused him of sexual assault.

While brushing off talk of Cosby specifically, Tom Werner said The Cosby Show remained important to him.

"I don't really want to comment on it," Werner told The Hollywood Reporter when pressed on the issue.

"The legacy of the show is obviously very important to me because the show was a groundbreaking show and it portrayed a middle-class African-American family in a very positive way. It had a lot of stories that resonated with families because people watched it together.

"Obviously it's a challenging time for Bill Cosby and a challenging time for the show, but I'm hoping that people will still be able to watch the show and identify with the Huxtables."

Werner has largely remained silent on the scandal in recent months, although he did release a joint statement with partner Marcy Carsey in November, describing Cosby as a "brilliant and wonderful collaborator on a show that changed the landscape of television".

"These recent news reports are beyond our knowledge or comprehension," they added at the time.

Last month, Cosby's lawyer Monique Pressley defended the actor, who has remained almost entirely tight-lipped about the allegations.

"The sheer volume, or number of people who are saying a particular thing does not make it true," she told America's ABC network.

- AAP