Harvey Weinstein taking a leave of absence after sexual harassment allegations

Producer Harvey Weinstein is taking a leave of absence from Hollywood following sexual harassment allegations.

The Miramax Studio boss, 65, issued a public apology following a New York Times article detailing a series of alleged incidents, including that he reached eight settlements with women.

In a statement, Weinstein said: "I appreciate the way I've behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologise for it.

"My journey now will be to learn about myself and conquer my demons.

"I so respect all women and regret what happened."

However, he also denied many allegations in the NYT article as "patently false".

Weinstein has been married to British fashion designer Georgina Chapman, 41, for 10 years. The couple have two children together, while Weinstein is father to three from his first marriage.