Ali Abbasi, the director of the Donald Trump film The Apprentice who exited his US reps CAA and Entertainment 360 in the aftermath of an ugly incident that took place at a Golden Globes afterparty, has issued a statement explaining himself.

The Apprentice director issued an apology a day after reports alleging that he groped a star at a Golden Globes afterparty.

Ali Abbasi is "truly sorry" for making an unnamed actor "uncomfortable" with his alleged inappropriate behaviour. The Apprentice director was reported to have "groped" a mystery A-lister at a Golden Globes afterparty last month and while he has described the gesture as him being "over-familiar" with someone he knew by giving them a "playful slap on the rear",