PRAGUE — Really Useful Ltd. producer Jonathan “JT” Todd has announced he will extend the production hold for his companies until March 26.
On Feb. 20, Todd, and producer Tarra White, on behalf of an alliance of Czech Republic-based agents, producers and performers, issued a statement regarding the recently confirmed positive test for HIV in Spain and a subsequent European production hold. They had initially called for a hold until Marc 13; read their initial statement here.
“Porno” Dan Leal, Budapest-based producer and CEO of Immoral Productions, first alerted the industry to a potential HIV-positive test and called for the production hold; click here for his statement.
The U.S.-based Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has also weighed in. Read their statement here.
Todd’s new statement is as follows:
Really Useful Ltd, the production company owned by JT with brands such as FakeTaxi, FakeHub and SexyHub, today announced that they will be extending their production hold until, at least, March 26.
We shoot in excess of 80 scenes per month in the Czech Republic and U.K. and after seeking medical advice from the highest possible sources, we feel it’s within the best interest, for the protection of any performer shooting for us, that we do extend the hold.
Of the known first-generation performers, most will have a second test on, or by, March 25. The final known first-generation (performers) will be eligible for their first test at this same time.
It's my informed opinion that extending the original hold of March 13 by a further 13 days is necessary and only then can we be sure that all known performers are negative.
I have based this decision on trusted medical advice and this is a decision I have made for my own company and not as representative of any alliance. I believe that the risk, no matter how small, of shooting prior to the final known performer having their first test far outweighs the inconvenience that the extra 13 days hold causes.