A new podcast probes fitness guru Richard Simmons' whereabouts and delves into his relationship with his housekeeper who is accused of abusing him.

Simmons' friend and former Daily Show producer Dan Taberski is hunting for answers with his podcast, titled 'Missing Richard Simmons' in which he investigates the star's disappearance, and interviews those who knew him.

Simmons, 68, has not been seen in public since 2014 and last year he was forced to respond to reports that he was a victim of elder abuse at the hands of his housekeeper, Teresa Reveles.

Reveles was seen Friday collecting a newspaper from his California home.

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In this photo taken on Friday Richard Simmons' housekeeper Teresa Reveles is seen emerging from his house to collect a newspaper. She has been accused of abusing him

Throwback: Simmons is seen in this 2013 photo. he has not been seen in public for three years

Friend of Richard Simmons and former Daily Show producer Dan Taberski is seeking answers with a new podcast in which he investigates the star's disappearance, and interviews those who knew him well

In 2014 Simmons completely dropped off the map - he stopped returning phone calls, closed his fitness studio, and became a recluse.

The podcast, which is being compared to Serial, aims to humanize the eccentric icon, and shed light on what he's been doing behind the closed curtain all these years.

The first episode 'Where's Richard?' discusses Taberski's budding relationship with the fitness fanatic, after he attended many of Simmons' exercise classes at his one-room studio in Beverly Hills, Slimmons, where he taught for 40 years.

He tells of how he immediately became obsessed with the classes because of Simmons' uniquely outlandish personality for which he is famed.

This makes his retreat from the public eye even more markedly out of character.

Taberski just hopes to give some peace of mind to his fellow friends and devoted supporters.

'This is about hopefully recontextualizing him a bit,' he said.

'People laugh at him now, they've lost perspective on who he is. I want to make him three-dimensional again.'

In the second episode Taberski goes to Simmons' home to see if he can find him but there is no sign of him.

The description of the podcast says: 'In February 15, 2014, fitness guru Richard Simmons disappeared.

'He stopped teaching his regular exercise class at Slimmons, cut off his closest friends, and removed himself from the public eye after decades as one of the most accessible celebrities in the world. Nobody has heard from him — and no one knows why he left.

'Filmmaker Dan Taberski was a Slimmons regular and a friend of Richard’s. Missing Richard Simmons is Dan’s search for Richard — and the deeper he digs, the stranger it gets.'

Taberski plans on releasing six podcasts exploring his disappearance.

Rumors have circulated wildly about the possible reason for his absence from the public eye, including that his housekeeper, pictured left, was holding him hostage

Rumors have circulated wildly about the possible reason for his reclusiveness. Some have speculated that he is transitioning into a woman, depressed over the death of his prized dalmatian, or marred by knee injuries, Chron reported.

After elder abuse was reported by an anonymous friend of Simmons last year, Los Angeles Police visited his home and reportedly were satisfied with his condition - but friends remain unsure.

His housekeeper Reveles is the only person that's been seen emerging from Simmons house in recent years.

His former assistant Mauro Oliveira, left, told Daily Mail Online last year that Simmons' housekeeper was controlling him with black magic - and it was Richard himself who confided to his friend that he was under her thumb

His former assistant Mauro Oliveira, told Daily Mail Online last year that Simmons' housekeeper was controlling him with black magic - and it was Simmons himself who confided to his friend that he was under her thumb.

'Yes, that's what he told me [about Teresa],' said Oliveira.

'He told me last time we spoke. I asked him, does she control your life? He said 'Yes.'

Oliveira expressed concern that the way Simmons spoke during his last interview - where he assured reporters he was OK - didn't sound 'right'.

He thinks that Reveles believes she is Simmons' unofficial 'wife', and doesn't want any other people around to compete for his affection.