Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein issued an apology Thursday and announced he was taking leave after the New York Times published a bombshell report accusing him of sexual harassment over several decades.

"I appreciate the way I've behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it," Weinstein said in a statement to the Times after its damning story was published.

He added that he had hired therapists and planned to take a leave of absence "to deal with this issue head on."

Source: AFP