Takei’s apology was prompted by resurfacing of interview he did last month with radio host Howard Stern, in which he appeared to admit that he had grabbed the crotches of men he saw as “kind of skittish, or maybe, um, uh, afraid, and you’re trying to persuade.”

“Many have raised concern over a back-and-forth between Howard Stern and myself, where we joked about me touching men during my Star Trek days fifty years ago. Out of context, I agree that the joke was distasteful, and I’m very sorry he and I made fun out of a serious matter,” wrote 80 year-old Takei on Facebook.

“Out of context, I agree that the joke was distasteful, and I’m very sorry he and I made fun out of a serious matter.

For decades, I have played the part of a “naughty gay grandpa” when I visit Howard’s show, a caricature I now regret. But I want to be clear: I have never forced myself upon someone during a date. Sometimes my dates were the initiators, and sometimes I was. It was always by mutual consent. I see now that that it has come across poorly in the awkward sketch, and I apologise for playing along with Howard’s insinuation.

Non-consensual acts are anathema to me and my personal code of conduct, and I would never do something against anyone’s will, period.”

Last week, a former model named Scott Brunton told The Hollywood Reporter that Star Trek actor undressed and groped him while he was passed out in his Los Angeles apartment in 1981.

Brunton told THR that he met Takei while he was working as a waiter at an LA bar. The pair exchanged numbers and after Brunton broke up with his then-boyfriend, Takei offered to take him to a consolatory dinner and a show.

After the theatre, the pair returned to Takei’s apartment where Brunton says he was given a drink which made “very disoriented and dizzy”. Then, Brunton passed out.

Brunton claims that the next thing he remembered was coming to, only to find Takei groping him while simultaneously trying to remove his clothing.

“The next thing I remember I was coming to and he had my pants down around my ankles and he was groping my crotch and trying to get my underwear off and feeling me up at the same time, trying to get his hands down my underwear,” Brunton says. “I came to and said, ‘What are you doing?!’ I said, ‘I don’t want to do this.’ He goes, ‘You need to relax. I am just trying to make you comfortable. Get comfortable.’ And I said, ‘No. I don’t want to do this.’ And I pushed him off and he said, ‘OK, fine.’ And I said I am going to go and he said, ‘If you feel you must. You’re in no condition to drive.’ I said, ‘I don’t care I want to go.’ So I managed to get my pants up and compose myself and I was just shocked. I walked out and went to my car until I felt well enough to drive home, and that was that.”

Brunton said he never mentioned the assault because he assumed no one would take him seriously. He told THR that he was motivated to speak up after Takei spoke out about the allegations levelled against Kevin Spacey.

Takei has flatly denied Brunton’s allegations, even stating in a now-deleted Tweet that Russian bots were attempting to “amplify” the claims against him due to his tireless LGBT advocacy.

“Russia did this” — George Takei

(he deleted but here are the screens) pic.twitter.com/xh7096Qk2n

— Eoin Thanksgivins ??? (@EoinHiggins_) November 12, 2017