The TV host at the centre of a tape in which Donald Trump boasted about groping women has responded to the billionaire's lewd comments about her.

In a statement released by her Entertainment Tonight show, Nancy O'Dell said no one should be the subject of such crass comments. She said everyone deserved respect, whether or not cameras were rolling.

"As a woman who has worked very hard to establish her career, and as a mom, I feel I must speak out with the hope that as a society we will always strive to be better," Ms O'Dell said.

During a visit to a soap opera set a decade ago, Mr Trump's crude sexual banter with then Access Hollywood anchor Billy Bush was caught on video. It was released on Friday by The Washington Post.

At one point, Mr Trump referred to "Nancy", and using an expletive to say he had tried and failed to sleep with her.

“I moved on her and I failed,” Trump says. "I’ll admit it. I did try and f*** her. She was married. And I moved on her very heavily."

Trump is later heard saying. "In fact, I took her out furniture shopping. She wanted to get some furniture. I said, 'I'll show you where they have some nice furniture.'"

"I moved on her like a b**ch, but I couldn’t get there. And she was married," he added.

"Politics aside," Ms O'Dell said in her statement, "I'm saddened that these comments still exist in our society at all."

In an Access Hollywood report about the tape on Friday, host Natalie Morales identified Ms O'Dell as the person Mr Trump was discussing.

Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Show all 12 1 /12 Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger Schwarzenegger said he will not vote for Trump Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Mr McConnell condemned the remarks, but has not unendorsed him Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks House Speaker Paul Ryan Mr Ryan disinvited Mr Trump from a Wisconsin campaign event following the remarks Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Former Sec of State Condoleezza Rice Ms Rice called for Trump to withdraw his candidacy Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Nebraska Sen Deb Fischer Ms Fischer called on Trump to step aside and give nomination to Mike Pence Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Texas Sen Ted Cruz Mr Cruz denounced the remarks, but still endorses Trump Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Former Republican candidate Carly Fiorina Ms Fiorina wants Mike Pence to take the nomination Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt Hewitt called for Trump to step down Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Utah Representative Mia Love Ms Love said she cannot vote for Trump after hearing his remarks Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Former New York Gov George Pataki Mr Pataki said Mr Trump should step down Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks New Hampshire Sen Kelly Ayotte Ms Ayotte will write in Mike Pence when she votes Getty Republican leaders backing away from Donald Trump after lewd remarks Arizona Sen John McCain Mr McCain will choose Mike Pence on Election Day Getty

In a statement released after the audio recording was released, Trump said: "This was locker-room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago.

"Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course — not even close.

"I apologise if anyone was offended."

Later on Friday night, Trump posted a video in which he said: "I've never said I'm a perfect person, nor pretended to be someone that I'm not. I've said and done things I regret, and the words released today on this more than a decade old video are one of them."

He continued, "Anyone who knows me knows these words don’t reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong, and I apologise."

Melania Trump has also condemned her husband's remarks, saying she found the comments "unacceptable and offensive".

Yet she urged people to forgive him. "He has the heart and mind of a leader," she said, "I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world."

Since the release of the audio tape, prominent Republicans have been withdrawing their support for the property tycoon.