Dame Joan Collins has spoken out to deny allegations made by her son Sacha Newley that his father Anthony Newley was a paedophile.
Dame Joan Collins
The 85-year-old actress appeared on UK TV show 'Good Morning Britain' on Monday (27.11.17) to launch a charity campaign for the programme, but took the opportunity to address her son's claims published in The Sunday Times newspaper.
Speaking ahead of the release of his memoir, Sacha, 52, had told the publication: "He was a paedophile. My father was drawn to youthfulness. He thought innocence was an aphrodisiac. That was his sexual proclivity, and it's a very dangerous, destructive thing."
But refuting her son's suggestions, Joan said: "I think that Sacha's being extremely naive and not really knowing the meaning of that word. Because what Tony admittedly was, he loved young women. Young women of 17, 18, 19 years old, not children by any means. Never in a million years I would be married to somebody like that."
The former 'Dynasty' star added: "It's categorically not true. I never saw any of that kind of behaviour from Anthony."
Sacha cited the erotic 1969 musical film 'Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?' which his father starred in and produced as proof of his sexual preferences.
In the movie, Anthony portrays a middle-aged singer who recounts the sexual exploits of his life to his wife and children, including his obsession with the apparently underage Mercy Humppe and his liaisons with Polyester Poontang, who was played by Joan.
Sacha also accused his dad of putting "sex front and centre" of his life and claims he was exposed to an adult world at too young an age. But there was suggestion that Anthony ever behaved inappropriately towards him.
Actor-and-singer Anthony - who died at the age of 67 from cancer in 1999 - was best known for penning the film score to 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' and writing the Nina Simone hit 'Feeling Good'.
Joan and Anthony - her second husband - were wed in 1963 but divorced eight years later in 1971.
Anthony's sister Tara has also vehemently denied her brother's allegations against her late father.
She said: "I was shocked by my brother's comments. From my end, I don't recognise the man he is describing. I had an incredibly close relationship with my father and am deeply upset by these false allegations."
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