Don Burke has been slammed on social media after asking the Australian public to forgive his ‘stupidity’ regarding multiple sexual harassment allegations.
The former host of Burke’s Backyard is accused by over 50 women of indecent assault and inappropriate behaviour over his program’s 17-year run.
The 70-year-old appeared in a TV interview with A Current Affair on Monday night, as host Tracy Grimshaw interrogated him on the allegations.
Don Burke has been slammed on social media following multiple sexual harassment allegations
The 70-year-old appeared in a TV interview with A Current Affair on Monday night, as host Tracy Grimshaw interrogated him on the allegations
The former host of Burke’s Backyard is accused by over 50 women of indecent assault over the 17 years of his show
While Burke denies the serious allegations, he told Ms Grimshaw: ‘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.’
And it appears the Australian public have taken the former television icon’s words seriously, flocking to social media to criticise his actions.
Many were angry at the way Burke dismissed the allegations as something that ‘happened 30 years ago’.
‘A lot of those words have grown over the years, remember a lot of this was 30 years ago. Who remembers what happens 30 years ago?,’ he said.
Social media was quick to slam Don Burke following his interview with A Current Affair on Monday night
‘People can remember and you remember. Women won’t make up stories if they weren’t true,’ one woman tweeted.
She continued: ‘You are a dirty old man, shame on you!’
Another said they were ‘horrified’ that their family used to watch Burke’s Backyard as a ‘weekly ritual.’
‘What a revolting person,’ they wrote.
Many were quick to slam the former TV star for the casual dismissal of his actions as ‘stupidity.’
Many were angry at the way Burke dismissed the allegations as something that ‘happened 30 years ago’
While many freely expressed their displeasure towards Burke on social media, others applauded Tracy Grimshaw for her relentless interviewing
‘Uh, stupidity is leaving the fridge door open and letting milk go off,’ one woman tweeted.
‘Not using vulgar behaviour, watching bestiality porn, and inappropriately touching women.’
While many freely expressed their displeasure towards Burke on social media, others applauded Tracy Grimshaw for her relentless interviewing.
‘Thank you for what was a great interview,’ one person wrote in reply to Grimshaw.
‘It’s why you’re the best.’
One man said while he has ‘often been critical of A Current Affair’, Grimshaw’s interview was ‘as good as I’ve seen’.
Tracy Grimshaw was applauded for her relentless interview with Don Burke on Monday night
Burke’s claim to have Asperger’s, which affected his behaviour and may have contributed to people’s impression of him, let off a barrage of tweets
‘Didn’t let up when he was clearly dodging various questions,’ he continued.
Burke strenuously denied ‘all that sleazy sexual stuff’, describing his accusers as ‘malcontents’ who ‘bear grudges against me’.
He also claimed to have Asperger’s, which affected his behaviour and may have contributed to people’s impression of him.
‘I’ve never been medically diagnosed but I’ve worked it out that that’s what I’ve got, and it’s a terrible failing,’ he said.
That admission itself let off another barrage of tweets against the TV icon.
‘I’m utterly grossed out by Don Burke and his victim blaming and diagnosing himself with Aspergers,’ one man wrote.
Grimshaw asked if his inability to read social cues might mean he was guilty of at least some of the accusations, but Burke flatly rejected the idea.
‘Absolutely not. What I’ve defended is the words that I haven’t said, I’m quite certain of that, and I say it without malice to those people and I do apologise that I gave them a horrible time,’ he said.