Charlie Rose suspended by CBS following harassment allegations

Veteran TV presenter Charlie Rose has been suspended by CBS News and PBS after eight women accused him of sexual harassment.

A new report by Washington Post has detailed multiple incidents of sexual harassment dating back to as late as 1990s.

The eight women, who worked for his production company or were trying to get a job, have accused Rose of making unwanted sexual advances and described his behaviour which included lewd phone calls, groping, and Rose walking around naked in front of them.

In a statement, CBS whose show "CBS This Morning" is hosted by Rose, said, "Charlie Rose is suspended immediately while we look into this matter. These allegations are extremely disturbing and we take them very seriously."

Similarly, Bloomberg and PBS, which run the anchor's "Charlie Rose", have said that they would keep the programme off of their networks, reported Los Angeles Times.

Rose, 75, has apologised for his behaviour in a statement posted on his official Twitter account.

"In my 45 years in journalism, I have prided myself on being an advocate for the careers of the women with whom I have worked. Nevertheless, in the past few days, claims have been made about my behaviour toward some former female colleagues.

"It is essential that these women know I hear them and that I deeply apologise for my inappropriate behaviour. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realise I was mistaken," Rose said. PTI RB