Dustin Diamond is trying to make amends one step at a time.
The former teen star, who famously played Screech in Saved by the Bell, has publicly apologised to his former co-stars after he made damaging claims about them in a tell-all book.
Dustin, 39, wrote Behind the Bell ten years after the show. He claimed that some of his teenage cast members engaged in promiscuous behaviour off set, and that Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who played Zach, was allegedly on steroids.
"These claims are understandably upsetting," said Dr. Oz during the TV interview.
"Upsetting to more than just the other cast members," said Dustin. "Upsetting to me as well. As it turns out – the general public doesn't realise – I didn't write the book, I had a ghostwriter."
The actor has previously said that the ghostwriter embellished minor statements he made, such as, "Yeah, there were a bunch of kids on set with hormones so... what do you think?"
"I feel terrible for it," said Dustin during an appearance on Dr. Oz
Dustin admitted that he hasn't spoken to Mark-Paul, his friend on the show, since he was 16. "I feel terrible for it but what can I do? I guess tweet him," he said.
"Mario Lopez and I speak frequently and Dennis Haskins and I speak frequently. Of course, Slater and Belding. And they know what I went through.
"Unfortunately, being in the entertainment industry, you get fleeced a lot and you get taken advantage of a lot. And it hasn't been my first bout with that and so I've gotten good at just kind of brushing it off and moving forward. If I dwell on the past, then it just eats at me and there's nothing I can do about it."
© Photo: Rex"Mario Lopez and I speak frequently and Dennis Haskins and I speak frequently," he revealed
Dustin also took the opportunity to apologise to his co-stars. Turning to the camera he said: "Guys, I think you're fantastic. Working with you has been just one of the icons of my life and I'm sorry that this has taken advantage of me, the book and other situations I'm sure we'll talk about here. But I'm sure that you've experienced downfalls, as well, in your time and I'm still loving you guys."
