Stephen Collins CONFESSES to s**ually abusing three underage girls: ‘I did something terribly wrong’

Actor Stephen Collins has admitted to committing inappropriate s**ual contact with three underage girls over a 20-year span, saying he “deeply regrets” what he did.

This comes after being secretly recorded allegedly talking about the incidents by his wife during a marriage counselling session earlier this year.

The 67-year-old actor, best known for his role as Reverend Eric Camden on the TV show 7th Heaven, confessed to the crimes in a lengthy statement to People magazine.

In the statement, he details the three incidents that took place between 1973 and 1994, saying, “I have not had an impulse to act out in any such way” since.

Collins addressed why he had not apologized to the women he assaulted.

He wrote: “Forty years ago, I did something terribly wrong that I deeply regret.

I have been working to atone for it ever since.

I’ve decided to address these issues publicly because two months ago, various news organizations published a recording made by my then-wife, Faye Grant, during a confidential marriage therapy session in January 2012.

This session was recorded without the therapist’s or my knowledge or consent.”

“On the recording, I described events that took place 20, 32, and 40 years ago,” Collins added.

“The publication of the recording has resulted in assumptions and innuendos about what I did that go far beyond what actually occurred.

As difficult as this is, I want people to know the truth.”

Collins admitted to exposing himself twice to a girl in 1973 and explained another incident with the same girl.

“When the girl and I were watching TV alone, I moved her hand in such a way that caused her to touch me inappropriately,” Collins wrote.

“It was a completely impulsive act, and it’s haunted me ever since to think of what I put her through.” He also claimed to have exposed himself to two more girls in 1982 and 1994, and said he’s been in therapy for 20 years.

Collins reportedly said he has “agonized” about whether to apologize, going on: “I did have an opportunity to do so with one of the women, 15 years later.

I apologized and she was extraordinarily gracious.” He added: “But after I learned in the course of my treatment that my being direct about such matters could actually make things worse for them by opening old wounds, I have not approached the other two women, one of whom is now in her 50s and the other in her 30s.”

He insisted that he never acted inappropriately during his time on 7th Heaven as Reverend Eric Camden, adding: “I never behaved inappropriately on or off that set – or on any set I’ve ever worked on.”

The actor will sit down for a full interview with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric on December 20 following his shock confession.

No criminal charges have been brought against Collins.

The full statement appears in People magazine out on Friday.

Collins’ confession comes after he had previously been secretly recorded admitting to the incidents on tape, but had remained tight-lipped until now.

The recording was allegedly made by his wife, Faye Grant, and was played during a confidential marriage therapy session in January 2012.

Collins revealed that he had sought therapy for the past 20 years.

However, he has not approached the other two women he assaulted.

One of them is now in her 50s, and the other is in her 30s.

In his statement, Collins admitted to exposing himself twice to a girl in 1973, as well as another incident with the same girl.

He also claimed to have exposed himself to two more girls in 1982 and 1994.

Collins explained that he had not previously apologized to the women he assaulted.

He said that after learning in the course of his treatment that being direct about such matters could make things worse for them by opening old wounds, he decided not to approach the other two women.

The actor’s confession was published in People magazine.

Collins wrote a lengthy statement detailing the three incidents that took place between 1973 and 1994.

He also addressed why he had not apologized to the women.

Collins has insisted that he never acted inappropriately during his time on 7th Heaven as Reverend Eric Camden.

The actor has been in therapy for 20 years.

No criminal charges have been brought against him.