Tavis Smiley Speaks Out After Sexual Misconduct Firing: 'PBS Made a Huge Mistake'

"PBS made a huge mistake here. They need to fix it. They need to correct it," he told Paula Faris on "Good Morning America" Monday. "I'm going to do anything to protect my reputation."

The network suspended distribution of "The Tavis Smiley Show" in response to "multiple, credible allegations" of sexual harassment were brought against the host. While Smiley admitted to having consensual romantic relationships with women on his staff, he asserted he never groped or coerced a woman into sexual relations.

"I certainly understand people can have a viewpoint any consensual relationship in the workplace is wrong," he said. "But there are also other points of view on this."

In regards to allegations that he also created a hostile work environment, Smiley conceded "the environments are intense at times," but clarified, "I'm not an angry black man and this notion of a hostile environment just doesn't fit."

PBS hired an independent law firm to conduct the investigation, which the network said included an extensive interview with Smiley. Their findings "revealed multiple sexual relationships with subordinates over many years, and other acts that together constitute a pattern of conduct inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS," according to a PBS spokesperson.

"I'm human. I'm not perfect but this doesn't rise to the level [of sexual harassment]," Smiley said. "I want to make sure we don't lose all sense of nuance and proportionality in this conversation because if we do, people end up being guilty simply by accusation."