Billy Bush has broken his silence, just hours after a vulgar video of him with Donald Trump from 2005 surfaced.
In the video, Bush and Trump were caught on hot mics, speaking lewdly about women.
"Obviously I'm embarrassed and ashamed. It's no excuse, but this happened eleven years ago -- I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along. I'm very sorry," Bush said in a statement released to Variety on Friday evening.
Related Donald Trump's Vulgar 2005 Conversation With Billy Bush About Women With Caught on Hot Mic
In the video -- which was shot in 2005 on the set of "Days of Our Lives" where Bush was reporting for "Access Hollywood" on Trump guest-starring on the soap opera -- the current presidential candidate is heard speaking about a woman, saying, "I did try and f-- her. She was married."Speaking about "Days of Our Lives" actress Arianne Zucker, Bush makes a comment about her being "hot as s--."Trump, who was about to share a scene with Zucker, says: "I've gotta use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her. You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful...I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait...And when you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything."
Bush replied, "Whatever you want."
Bush worked for "Access Hollywood" from 2001 to 2016. He department the nightly newsmagazine show earlier this year for a permanent gig on the "Today" show on which he hosts the 9 o' clock hour. Bush' star on "Today" has been rocky, first with the Ryan Lochte Rio Olympics scandal, and now with this.
"Today" has not replied to Variety's request for comment, and either has "Access Hollywood."
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