NATION DON DENIES HE’S A SEX PREDATOR
FACING multiple accusations he used his star power to harass and bully women for years, Don Burke looked down a TV camera last night and claimed he was an Asperger’s sufferer who made enemies and mistakes because he couldn’t read body language.
The Logie- winning former presenter used an interview on his old network to claim he was the victim of a “witch hunt” and paying for the sins of his Channel 9 past.
The under- siege star told A Current Affair’s Tracy Grimshaw he had “no recollection” of claims of predatory workplace harassment, but denied categorically he was guilty of the litany of lewd, lecherous misconduct charges levelled against him by a series of women who worked with him.
“I’m not that man at all,” he said.
“I’ve got a lot of failings. Some of these things are despicable.”
Burke said he could not remember exchanges from 30 years ago, but said he had self- diagnosed himself as suffering from Asperger’s syndrome, which made it hard to read social signals.
“I am happy to say to the people of Australia: this is my story, make up your mind if I’m the most evil person that’s ever lived, that’s your decision,” Burke said.
“If you can forgive me for the stupidity and the other things I have done then I am very grateful, but I think that’s their decision not mine.
“I have looked in the mirror and there’s a lot I don’t like. But that’s up to the people of Australia to decide can they forgive me or not.”
During the interview Burke claimed the flood of allegations against him had been made because he was an unpopular figure during his time on Channel Nine and his accusers – in light of the recent domino effect of the Harvey Weinstein saga – had seen this as their chance to “nail” him.
“A lot of people don’t like me. And they can’t all be wrong,” he said, admitting carrying out a string of “affairs” while married to wife Mareea.
“I think I’ve got a bit to apologise for to my family and also to the people who supported Burke’s Backyard. There are things I’ve done that I’m not at all proud.”
The TV presenter said he denied making misogynist and “sleazy” comments and denied being a sex predator.
“If I had done it I would have admitted to it now,” he said. “I am in a frame of mind where I am sick of all this. It would be far less painful for me to say yeah I did that. But I didn’t.”
The claims that emerged yesterday came from more than 50 people who worked with Burke in the late 1980s and 1990s.
NSW Police confirmed no formal complaint had been made and no active investigations were under way in relation to the allegations against Burke.