Stephen Collins’ interview with Katie Couric has aired, during which he admits and apologizes to molesting three different underage girls 20 years ago.
The former 7th Heaven patriarch denied he was a “pedophile,” rather describing himself as having a “distortion” in the way he thinks and having “boundary issues.”
Yahoo reports Collins told Couric he doesn’t “fit the clinical or dictionary definition” of a pedophile.
“A pedophile is someone who is mainly or wholly attracted to children. I'm not,” he said. “I had a distortion in my thinking where I acted out in those ways. But I'm absolutely not attracted, physically or sexually attracted to children. I'm just not.”
He said that his therapist told him if he were a pedophile, these incidents would’ve happened many more times than they did.
Collins, who has lost roles in Ted 2 and ABC’s Scandal, also said one of the incidents in 1973 solidified that it was the “opposite of excitement and gratification” for him.
As we previously reported, Collins called his actions “inexcusable” and said he hasn’t acted inappropriately with anyone since 1994.
More of the Collins interview will air on Friday night on 20/20.
image via Peter West/ACE/INFphoto.com