Julien Blanc: 'I never intended to cause offence'
Julien Blanc says his derogatory posts about women online were "never meant to cause offence" and were a "horrible attempt at humour".
The self-styled 'pick-up artist' told an interview with US news channel CNN: "I feel like the most hated man in the world. I just want to apologise to anyone I've offended in anyway."
He added: "My intentions were never bad. Unfortunately a lot of it got put out of context."
Blanc charges men to take part in his dating seminars promising he can "make girls beg to sleep with you".
He made headlines around the world when he posted pictures on his Twitter account of him choking women and pushing their heads into his crotch.
The posts have since been removed or restricted so only his followers can see them.
But the backlash against him has led to Australia kicking him out and more than 150,000 people signing an online petition banning him from entering Britain, where he is due to kick off a UK tour on Friday.
Read more: UK urged to ban 'racist and sexist' dating guru
It is not yet known if he will be allowed to enter the country.
In the CNN interview he sought to reclaim what was left of his reputation.
When asked if he thought people would still attend his seminars, he replied: "I hope so. I just want to make it clear, with those (choking) pictures, that is not what I teach.
"Yes, I had my hands round their throat but I wasn't choking them.
"Those pictures are horrible attempts at humour. They were also taken out of context. You can make anything look bad in a picture.
"I was hanging out with those girls there and I wanted to create a shock, which it did. But for all the wrong reasons."
He also expressed regret at posting a domestic violence chart, meant to help women escape abuse, but with the caption "may as well be a checklist".
"I regret it, it was stupid. I'll definitely be more careful in the future.
"I'll be reviewing and re-evaluating everything I put out," he added.
Read more: Activist Caroline Criado-Perez: Girls 'not there to be conquered'