Douglas sex claim denial ... before it’s made public

MICHAEL Douglas has come forward to deny as-yet-unaired accusations of sexual harassment made by a former female employee.

The Oscar winner, 73, outed himself yesterday as the subject of allegations which date back 30 years.

Douglas, pictured, said he felt ‘the need to get ahead’ when he became aware a former employee was going to release claims saying he performed a sexual act in front of her.

The actor – who called the claim ‘a complete lie’ – said he wanted to speak out because his children are ‘really upset’.

He claimed he was told the story would be printed in the Hollywood Reporter without evidence or ‘corroboration’. The unnamed employee, who reportedly worked for his production company in New York ‘approximately 32 years ago’, is thought to have claimed Douglas exposed himself to her and made unsavoury remarks.

Asked why he was coming forward, Douglas said: ‘I felt the need to get ahead of this. It pertains to me but I’m also getting a sense of how it reflects in our culture today.’ He added of the ‘nightmare’ allegation: ‘This is a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever.’

The Wall Street star, who is married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, 48, said their son Dylan, 17, was accepted into college on the same day he received news of the allegations from his attorney in December.

In an interview with US entertainment website Deadline, Douglas – who also has a 14-year-old daughter, Carys – said he was ‘floored’ the allegations were being made. ‘It’s extremely painful,’ he said. ‘I pride myself on my reputation in this business.’

Douglas admitted using occasional ‘colourful language’ but said the suggestion he had performed a sexual act in front of the woman was ‘something I’ve only heard about the last year’. He said: ‘The part that hurt the worst is having to share something like this to your wife and your children. My kids are really upset.’