According to a statement by its Dutch broadcaster, The Voice of Holland, the original version of the global hit singing competition format, has been removed off the air due to allegations of "extremely serious and disturbing" sexual misbehavior by members of the show's production crew.

The show's bandleader, Jeroen Rietbergen, resigned on Saturday, according to a statement posted by the Dutch news agency ANP. He acknowledged to "relationships of a sexual nature" with women participating in The Voice of Holland, claiming that he "exchanged sexually explicit messages" with them. Rietbergen stated that he did not believe he was misusing his power on the set, and he apologized "to the women involved for things I should never have done."

In his statement, Reitbergen stated that the instances occurred many years ago and that he has since sought professional help, although he did not elaborate on the treatment he received. Linda de Mol, a Dutch TV celebrity and the sister of The Voice founder John de Mol, has been Reitbergen's girlfriend for almost a decade. Linda de Mol did not respond to a request for comment.

Ali B, a well-known Dutch rapper and Voice of Holland coach, has also been reported to the Dutch Public Prosecution Service for "sexually transgressive behavior" in connection with the show, according to his lawyer. There were no specifics provided. The Public Prosecution Service determines whether or not an accused individual should be prosecuted and for what crime. Ali B stated on Instagram that he was "100 percent convinced" of his own innocence.

RTL, the Dutch broadcaster that airs The Voice, one of the country's most popular series, announced on Saturday that the show would be suspended until the charges are investigated.

“The allegations are very serious and shocking and were not known to RTL,” the channel said in its statement. “Based on these allegations, [The Voice] producer ITV has been contacted and a mutual agreement has been reached that ITV will immediately initiate a diligent, independent investigation. The broadcasts of The Voice of Holland will be suspended for the time being until more is clear.”

An investigation by BOOS, a news program on Dutch public broadcaster BNNVARA, revealed the charges of misbehavior.

The original edition of the singing-contest franchise, launched by John de Mol and Roel van Velzen in 2010, is The Voice of Holland. The show generated dozens of local adaptations around the world, including a seven-Emmy-winning American version on NBC. The Voice of Holland's 12th season debuted on January 7.

In 2015, ITV purchased John de Mol's production business Talpa, gaining the rights to The Voice and taking over production of all editions of the show around the world. It's unclear whether the alleged misbehavior at The Voice of Holland occurred before to or after ITV's acquisition.