The TV star once again addresses the allegations he's facing.
Scott Baio is determined to move past the sexual abuse claims that have been leveled against him by former Charles in Charge co-star Nicole Eggert.
ET spoke with the 57-year-old actor after a press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, where he explained that he has no interest in pursuing a libel case against Eggert.
“My reputation is very important to me and it’s [been] impeccable up until this person decided to make up stuff about me,” he told ET. "I’m not gonna go through that circus of a court, which will give her everything she wants, I’m not doing that.”
During the press conference, Baio revealed that he took five separate polygraph tests with two different examiners that he claims prove his innocence. The tests also addressed the sexual harassment claims brought by Alexander Polinsky, another Charles in Charge co-star, and Baio's attorney Brian Glicklich says he passed this portion as well.
Baio went on to explain the toll that Eggert’s allegations have taken on his life since the actress first claimed earlier this year that she was sexually abused by the actor, starting when she was 14 years old.
“She’s been calling me a rapist and a child molester for the last eight months and it’s all a lie," Baio said. "She’s been smearing my wife calling her very, very bad names and people read this stuff. She went after my child, saying publicly for her to be careful around me. Can you imagine this? And that’s maybe five percent of what's been going on.”
Eggert caused shock waves among fans and friends on Jan. 27 when she tweeted, “Ask [Scott Baio] what happened in his garage at his house when I was a minor." Baio soon responded on Facebook, stating that she is "deliberately lying."
Although he denied having a sexual relationship when she was underage, he did later admit that the two had consensual sex “well after she turned 18.”
In June, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office decided not to press charges against Baio. Per the DA’s evaluation of the case, "The applicable statute of limitations to the crimes alleged by the victim have expired. Thus, the case is declined."
Check out the full interview above.
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