Star Trek actor George Takei told Howard Stern last month that he grabbed men he was ‘trying to persuade’ to be with him sexually, it was learned on Saturday.

Controversial audio surfaced on Saturday less than a day after Takei denied sexually assaulting male model Scott Brunton while he was passed out in his Los Angeles condo in 1981.

Takei appeared on Stern’s radio show last month when the spate of sexual harassment scandals involving powerful Hollywood figures began to make headlines, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The conversation between Stern and Takei touched on the ‘irony’ of the allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, particularly in light of the 2005 Access Hollywood tape in which President Donald Trump is heard bragging about grabbing women’s genitals.

Star Trek actor George Takei (left) told Howard Stern (right) last month that he grabbed men he was ‘trying to persuade’ to be with him sexually

Stern then asked Takei if he ever grabbed a man’s genitals against his will.

Takei appeared taken aback by the question.

‘Uh oh,’ he said with a laugh.

When Stern asked him again, he said: ‘Some people are kind of skittish, or maybe, um, uh, afraid, and you’re trying to persuade.’

When Stern and his co-host, Robin Quivers, asked Takei if he ever held a job over somebody for sex, he said no.

Quivers then asked if he did ‘this grabbing at work.’

‘It was either in my home,’ Takei responded. ‘They came to my home.’

The Star Trek icon, 80, took to social media to defend himself on Saturday against Brunton's allegations.

Takei said that the event 'simply did not occur' and he added that he does not know why the model has made these claims now, 36 years later.

Takei has been denied he sexually assaulted former male model Scott Brunton while the young man was passed out in his Los Angeles condo in 1981; seen in February

His big role: The star played Sulu on Star Trek in both the TV show and the movies

He also said he cannot even 'remember Mr Brunton.'

George began his Twitter chain with: 'I'm writing to respond to the accusations made by Scott R. Bruton.

'I want to assure you all that I am as shocked and bewildered at these claims as you must feel reading them.'

His next tweet read: 'The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now. I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr. Brunton, and I cannot say I do.'

Nope: Takei said that the event 'simply did not occur' and he added that he does not know why the model has made these claims now, 36 years later

More: He also said he cannot remember the man who has made the accusation

He is taking this seriously: George added that he takes the claims 'very seriously'

His take on it all: George said it was a 'he said / he said situation'

His partner backs him up: He added that his partner of more than 30 years 'stands fully by my side'

He is happy that his fans have his back too: Takei ended by saying, 'Thanks to many of you for all the kind words and trust'

The star's third tweet added: 'But I do take these claims very seriously, and I wanted to provide my response thoughtfully and not out of the moment.'

He continued: 'Right now it is a he said / he said situation, over alleged events nearly 40 years ago.

'But those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful..'

George then said his husband was fully supporting him: 'Brad, who is 100 percent beside me on this, as my life partner of more than 30 years and now my husband, stands fully by my side.'

He has been wed to George Altman since 2008.

'I cannot tell you how vital it has been to have his unwavering support and love in these difficult times,' added the Mulan actor.

At work: Scott Brunton said he met Takei in 1981 when he was living in Hollywood and had just broken up with his boyfriend. Takei is pictured (above) with James Doohan and DeForest Kelley

His last tweet was: 'Thanks to many of you for all the kind words and trust. It means so much to us. Yours in gratitude, George.'

Brunton came forward to say he was groped by the actor when he was just 24, claiming Takei - then aged 43 or 44-years-old - took advantage of him just after a breakup.

'This happened a long time ago, but I have never forgotten it,' Brunton told the The Hollywood Reporter.

'It is one of those stories you tell with a group of people when people are recounting bizarre instances in their lives, this always comes up. I have been telling it for years, but I am suddenly very nervous telling it.'

He is shocked by the claims: Takei is seen here in Los Angeles in July

The former model said he encountered Takei when he was living in Hollywood and working as a waiter at the beginning of his career at Greg's Blue Dot Bar.

He said he exchanged numbers with the actor, and on occasion the pair called each other or ran into each other at different clubs.

When Brunton broke up with the man he was dating at the time, he told Takei, who took the opportunity to invite the model to dinner and the theater.

'He was very good at consoling me and understanding that I was upset and still in love with my boyfriend,' Brunton told THR.

After dinner that night the two men went back to Takei's home for a drink.

Brunton alleged Takei invited him back to his condo and made him a drink that caused him to pass out. Takei is pictured on the set of Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country in 1991

Just a few sips into his second drink, which Takei made for him, he said he started feeling unwell.

'I have the second one, and then all of a sudden I begin feeling very disoriented and dizzy, and I thought I was going to pass out,' he explained.

'I said I need to sit down and he said sit over here and he had the giant yellow beanbag chair. So I sat down in that and leaned my head back and I must have passed out.'

He said that after a while he woke up with his pants around his ankles and Takei groping his crotch and trying to get his underwear off.

'I came to and said, "What are you doing?" I said, "I don't want to do this," Brunton told THR.

His early years in Hollywood: George is seen here in Star Trek the TV series in the 1960s

'He goes, "You need to relax. I am just trying to make you comfortable. Get comfortable."'

Brunton said he he managed to gather enough strength to push Takei off of him and then went to his car and waited until he felt well enough to drive himself home.

'That was that,' he said of the encounter.

Four of Brunton's close friends told THR that he had confided in them about the alleged assault years ago.

Now, years after the incident, he said he is coming out with his story after seeing Takei's statement about Kevin Spacey to THR on October 30.

After Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey took advantage of him, the actor used the opportunity to come out as gay.

Takei apparently took offense to that, and aid: 'Men who improperly harass or assault do not do so because they are gay or straight - that is a deflection,' in a statement to THR.

'They do so because they have the power, and they chose to abuse it.'

Brunton said the response infuriated him.

Takei's representative, Julia Buchwald, didn't outright deny the allegations to THR, but said they cannot give his comment at the present time.

'George is traveling in Japan and Australia and not reachable for comment,' she said in a statement.

The 80-year-old rose to fame in his role as Hikaru Sulu in the original Star Trek television series. Since then he has become an outspoken activist advocate for LGBTQ rights.