Liam Neeson has insisted he is not racist following an interview in The Independent in which he spoke of roaming the streets with a cosh, wanting to kill a “black bastard” after someone close to him was raped years ago.

The 66 year-old actor said race had not played a part in his actions, claiming he would have reacted in the same way if his friend's attacker had been "a Scot or a Brit or a Lithuanian".

He also said his behaviour was a result of wanting to show "honour" after someone close to him had been assaulted.

:: Read the original, exclusive interview that started a global conversation

The comments came after The Independent revealed that Neeson had walked the streets after learning of his friend's rape, hoping a black man would start a fight with him so he could kill him.

Speaking to ABC's Good Morning America programme, he said: "I'm not racist."

But he repeated that he had asked his friend the race of her attacker. "She said he was a black man, I thought 'OK'," he said.

"Then after that I went out deliberately into black areas of the city looking to be set upon so I could unleash physical violence and I did it maybe four or five times until I caught myself on and it really shocked me, this primal urge I had."

The actor said to interviewer Robin Roberts that he visited a priest to discuss the incident and “went power-walking two hours every day” to “get rid” of his feelings.

“We all pretend we’re all politically correct,” he continued. “In this country, and same in my own, sometimes you scratch the surface and discover this racism and bigotry, and it’s there.

“I remember shooting Schindler’s List, and hearing remarks from drivers who were taking us to the set, thinking to myself, ‘Am I hearing this right, this guy is making anti Jewish comments to me, a guy playing Schindler?’ Sometimes we’d see swastikas on walls painted by people who knew we were going to the set.”

Neeson said he was thankful that “no violence occurred” and called the experience ”a learning curve”.

The online reaction to the response was mixed, with many Twitter users concluding Neeson had made things “worse for himself” while others thought the actor came off well.

Liam Neeson through the years Show all 23 1 /23 Liam Neeson through the years Liam Neeson through the years March 1995 Liam Neeson stars In the movie ‘Rob Roy’ Getty Liam Neeson through the years October 1996 Neeson poses with co-star Aidan Quinn (right) and director Neil Jordan (left) at the Los Angeles premiere of their new movie ‘Michael Collins’ AFP/Getty Liam Neeson through the years March 2001 Neeson poses with the lightsaber he used in ‘Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’ at the ‘Movie Action for Children’ auction AFP/Getty Liam Neeson through the years May 2002 Liam Neeson attends the Tony Award nominees brunch Getty Liam Neeson through the years July 2002 Neeson attends the world premiere of ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’ in Westwood, California Getty Liam Neeson through the years August 2003 Neeson films scenes from ‘Kinsey’ at Grand Central Station, New York Getty Liam Neeson through the years September 2004 Neeson after a press conference for the movie ‘Kinsey’ during the Toronto International Film Festival Getty Liam Neeson through the years May 2005 Samuel L Jackson (left) and Neeson (right) pose with Chewbacca at the premiere of ‘Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith’ Getty Liam Neeson through the years June 2005 Gary Oldman, Sir Michael Caine, Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Morgan Freeman and Neeson arrive at the premiere of ‘Batman Begins’ at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre Getty Liam Neeson through the years September 2006 Pierce Brosnan (left) and Neeson attend the ‘Seraphim Falls’ press conference during the Toronto International Film Festival Getty Liam Neeson through the years September 2008 Neeson poses by the river Thames before a screening of the action movie ‘Taken’ Getty Liam Neeson through the years June 2010 Neeson, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, director Joe Carnahan, Sharlto Copley, and Bradley Cooper arrive at the premiere of their movie ‘The A-Team’ Getty Liam Neeson through the years January 2011 Neeson at the premiere of ‘The Grey’ in Los Angeles Getty Liam Neeson through the years September 2012 Neeson poses next to the beach closet dedicated to him on the Promenade des Planches for the movie ‘Taken 2’ Getty Liam Neeson through the years February 2013 Neeson presents an award at the Oscars Getty Liam Neeson through the years February 2014 Neeson holds his character from ‘The Lego Movie’ as he attends the premiere in New York Getty Liam Neeson through the years February 2014 Actors Michelle Dockery, Lupita Nyong’o, Neeson and Julianne Moore attend the premiere of their movie ‘Non-Stop’ Getty Liam Neeson through the years November 2014 Maureen O’Hara accepts an Honorary Oscar from Clint Eastwood and Neeson Getty Liam Neeson through the years January 2015 Neeson signs posters as he attends a ‘Taken 3’ fan screening Getty Liam Neeson through the years February 2017 Neeson reprises his role from ‘Love Actually’ alongside Thomas Brodie-Sangster for Comic Relief’s ‘Red Nose Day Actually’ Getty Liam Neeson through the years September 2017 Neeson appears on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ Getty Liam Neeson through the years January 2018 Neeson attends the premiere of ‘The Commuter’ in New York Getty Liam Neeson through the years February 2018 Neeson speaks after receiving an award for his career during the Golden Camera awards ceremony in Hamburg AFP/Getty

Neeson revealed the story to The Independent after being asked to give more insight into his Cold Pursuit character Nels Coxman’s need for revenge after his son is killed by a drug gang.

Following the interview’s publication, there was outrage online, with social media users accusing Neeson of racism.

American film producer Tariq Nasheed said: “Keep in mind that Liam Neeson didn’t say he just has some ‘revenge fantasy’. He actually went out for a week LOOKING for a black person to kill, but he couldn’t find one.”

Liam Neeson: ‘I walked the streets with a cosh, hoping I’d be approached by a 'black b**tard' so that I could kill him’

Actor Terry Crews, former American football player who stars in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, wrote on social media: “Reminds me of a time I got provoked by a rich white guy I didn’t know. Hoping I would do something.”

Some people came to the actor’s defence, including former England football player John Barnes, who said Neeson should be "given a medal" for saying he had been ashamed of the incident.

The Independent previously contacted Neeson’s publicist for further comment but he declined.