I am not a sexual harasser ..it’s lies & has upset my kids

Michael Douglas rejects allegations

upset... have to go to school worrying this is going to be in some article about me, being a sexual harasser. They’re scared.”

Douglas said of the woman: “She was a lady who was involved in development at my company, and we just didn’t have a good development record in the time she was there, so I just moved on.

“The woman, it turns out, is a blogger... she has mentioned my name sometimes in her blogs. Nothing terrible. It leads me to believe she either has or is trying to get a book deal. I can’t believe that someone would cause someone else pain like this.

“Maybe she is disgruntled her career didn’t go the way she hoped and she is holding this grudge. It has caused tremendous stress to me for something I believe I have nothing to regret or feel responsible for. I’m certainly regretful if she was offended by the language in the 80s, but this other thing, she would not be getting a story in a trade paper with these other issues. The one she raises, is the reason for that story.”

Douglas was referring to the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed Hollywood following accusations made against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and stars including Dustin Hoffman and Kevin Spacey.

Last night it emerged Weinstein, 65, and his British wife, fashion designer Georgina Chapman, 41, have agreed a divorce settlement which will be filed in court. Double Oscar winner Douglas said he supported the #Metoo movement – launched to empower women who had suffered sexual abuse into speaking out – and that he was proud of his work with the opposite sex. He added: “My reasons are personal in coming forward. But I’m going to continue the way I’ve always treated women – as equals and my peers.

“Working closely with them. I would hope that, as a cautionary tale, we will be careful about accusing and being accused.”

Douglas has been married to British star Catherine Zeta-jones, 48, since 2000. They have two children, Dylan and Carys, 14. He has son Cameron, 39, from his first marriage.