Michael Douglas has come forward to pre-emptively deny allegations that he masturbated in the presence of a former employee over 30 years ago.

Douglas, who owns his own production company, took the advice of his lawyer after being informed that The Hollywood Reporter was preparing to publish a story on the allegations made by a former employee from the mid-1980s.

Speaking to Deadline, Douglas said: “She claims that, one, I used colourful language in front of her, not at her, but that I used colourful language. Two, she claims that in conversations I had in front of her, on the phone, that I spoke raunchily, or dirtily with friends of mine, in private conversations.

“I fired her eventually… for the work she was doing, (but) three, she claims that I blackballed her from the industry and stopped her from getting another job.”

Douglas said he was “sorry” if he’d used “coarse language” with friends, but the claim made that he’d deliberately prevented his former employee from gaining further employment is “completely untrue”.

Douglas also describes the allegation that he masturbated in her presence as “a complete lie, fabrication, no truth to it whatsoever.”

Having had no contact with his accuser since she left his company, Douglas said he was “floored” by the accusations and it’s greatly upset his children and wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones. 

“The part that hurt the worst is having to share something like this to your wife and your children. My kids are really upset. [They] have to go to school worrying this is going to be in some article about me, being a sexual harasser. They’re scared and very uncomfortable.”

The Hollywood Reporter has yet to publish the story.

Images: Rex Features / Instagram