Don Burke has called on the people of Australia to make up their own minds about allegations of sexual harassment, indecent assault and bullying levelled against the television icon.
Burke, who was the namesake of Burke's Backyard which ran for almost 17 years on Channel Nine, told A Current Affair's Tracy Grimshaw he was the victim of a 'witch-hunt'.
"I'm guessing it's the social media, the Twittersphere thing. I guess they've stirred this up, the Harvey Weinstein thing and we've got a witch-hunt," he said.
"I'm happy to say to the people of Australia, this is my story, make up your mind if I'm the most evil person that has ever lived – that's your decision."
A joint investigation by the ABC and Fairfax Media has catalogued a series of allegations against Burke by former employees of Burke's Backyard.
Burke fronted a television interview with Grimshaw to deny the 'sleazy sexual stuff' but admits he was 'a bear with a bloody sorehead' at the end of his show's almost 17-year run.
The former television star admitted he had extramarital affairs and had apologised to his wife for the behaviour, adding he was "ashamed" of himself.
"I got a bit to apologise to, to my family and also the people who supported Burke's Backyard," Burke said.
"There are things I've done that I'm not at all proud of. Prior to Marea's ill health, I had a number of affairs which I should never had done and I think I let everybody down with that.
"And I'm a perfectionist that drove people very hard and although I felt we did have a happy office.
"There's clearly when you look at the people that are complaining now, there's a lot of people that don't like me. They can't all be wrong.”
A supplied photo obtained July 1, 2009 of Don Burke (AAP) Source: NEW HOLLAND
Burke said his affairs may have set up a view to his former staff members that he was not a nice person.
"Towards the end I don't think I was a very good person. You know Burke's Backyard, I suppose, if you took it brutally was coming towards the end of its run," he said.
"It didn't seem to me at that time but I reckon I must have been a bear with a bloody sore head, and I do apologise for that.
"I'm not that man at all. I have a lot of failings but I'm not that man.
"A number of the claims are things that I would never say... some of those things that I'm supposed to have said are absolutely despicable. And no person should say that to another person."
Throughout the interview, Burke denied the harassment and groping allegations that were made against him by former producer Bridget Ninness.
He also responded to former researcher Louise Langdon's accusation that Burke tried to remove her top during one incident, saying "I certainly wouldn't have done it seriously."
Burke said he did not accept he was a "Weinstein-like figure bullying down on everyone" but he admitted it was a "robust" environment in his office.
He said he had reconciled he would never return to television because there were people at Channel Nine who did think the allegations made against him were true.
Burke also revealed he believed he had Asperger's syndrome but had never been formally diagnosed.
The former host hosted Burke's Backyard for almost 17 years until it was cancelled in 2004.
