John Barrowman has claimed some of his previous on-set behaviour was "bawdy and silly", but "absolutely not" sexual harassment.
John Barrowman at the NTAs in 2019
The 54-year-old actor admitted earlier this year that he had sought therapy after being embroiled in a scandal for exposing himself on set, and in his first TV interview following such accusations, he has now insisted stories of some of his actions have been "exaggerated" over the years.
When asked by Lorraine Kelly on her show 'Lorraine' if he had "crossed a line" on occasions, he said: "I think that if it was now, it would be crossing the line. I think that something that happened 15 years ago, it was bawdy behaviour, silly behaviour, it was being done in the confines of the set, and we were like a family, working together.
"The fact that it was stories that I've already told. I've been telling them for years.
"I haven't hidden anything, they've been exaggerated, and they've tried to turn them into sexual harassment which it absolutely is not.
"The one thing for me, all the people that are making the fuss about it, they weren't there, they don't know the context of things that were done, like I said, I would never do it now but what we're not allowing people and myself to do ... we're not allowing people to learn to adapt and to change, and that's the most important thing."
John also admitted he was "extremely nervous" about today's (23.11.21) TV interview.
When asked how he was, he replied: "I'm extremely nervous, and that is not me.
"The fact of the matter is I know throughout my career and everything I've done, it's promoting people to be yourself, to not be ashamed of who you are and at the moment what's happening is I feel like I'm having to monitor everything. I'll get past that.
"I'll still have fun, I'll still be silly, I'll still be outrageous but in a different context to what it was 15 years ago ... And we can't change that. It's not going to happen again."
In May, John admitted to "tomfoolery" during previous filming of 'Doctor Who' and 'Torchwood', but insisted he was only trying to lighten the mood and entertain colleagues, though he acknowledged his behaviour may have upset people.
And in June, he admitted the backlash about his antics led him to seek therapy after his mental health began to slide.
He said: "It was upsetting my mental health. My husband Scott suggested I talk to somebody. I won't discuss what I've said in therapy sessions – that's a matter of doctor/patient confidentiality – but I don't mind admitting it's helped me a great deal.
"It's made me aware that despite how much cancel culture may talk about respecting people's mental health, too often they don't respect the mental health of the people they're trying to cancel. So I needed to understand what was happening, which is why I went to speak to somebody.
"It's a conversation that's still going on. Seriously, whatever the situation, if you feel you need to reach out to someone it's very important to keep talking."
Last month, ITV confirmed John will no longer be a judge on 'Dancing on Ice', but he will be working on the broadcaster's 'All Star Musicals' specials.
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