'Was my behaviour entirely appropriate?' Michael Parkinson admits he's uneasy about his past actions towards women - saying that 'if I did now what I did then I could get arrested'

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Sir Michael Parkinson has admitted some of his actions towards women in the past could have got him 'arrested' as the chat show host became the latest high-profile celebrity to speak out sexual harassment.

Following a string of allegations of sexual misconduct within the entertainment industry following the #MeToo campaign, the 82-year-old English broadcaster revealed some of his behaviour may have gotten him into trouble.

Sir Michael said: 'Men are in a quandary. I mean, if I was doing now what I did then, I would have to watch myself. I could get arrested.'

While he acknowledged attitudes towards women had changed from his heyday, some of his actions from years ago would be wholly unacceptable today.

Following a string of allegations of sexual misconduct within the entertainment industry as part of the #MeToo campaign, Sir Michael Parkinson revealed some of his behaviour may have gotten him into trouble

Speaking to GQ magazine, he asked: 'There isn't a man of a certain age who doesn't look back and wonder, "Was my behaviour entirely appropriate?" 

'There was a bar on Fleet Street [where] women were treated disgracefully, like second-class citizens. It was woefully un-PC.'

While Sir Michael has never been accused of any wrongdoing, in an interview with Dame Helen Mirren in 1975, he asked her whether to 'equipment' meant that she could not be taken seriously as an actress. 

In response, Dame Helen replied: 'Serious actresses can't have big bosoms, is that what you mean?'

In 2016, Sir Michael tried to justify his line of questioning, saying it was a response that 'she presented a provocative figure'. He said: 'We have not done much since to repair the damage.'

Following his own admission that he could have handled certain situations better in the past, the television talk show host said he could not sit down with the disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused by a number of women of sexual misconduct and rape.

Sir Michael said: 'You would have to stop yourself from punching him first.' 

While Sir Michael has never been accused of any wrongdoing, in an interview with Dame Helen Mirren in 1975, he asked her whether to 'equipment' meant that she could not be taken seriously as an actress

While Sir Michael has never been accused of any wrongdoing, in an interview with Dame Helen Mirren in 1975, he asked her whether to 'equipment' meant that she could not be taken seriously as an actress

Sir Michael said he could not sit down with the disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein (pictured)