Aussie TV star 'abused on set'

Sarah Monahan has revealed that a man sexually abused and exposed himself to her on the set of Hey Dad! nearly 20 years ago.

The Australian actress, who played Jenny Kelly in the TV comedy from the age of nine, said that she has mentally "blocked out" large sections of her childhood as a result of the abuse that she suffered at the hands of a man who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Monahan told Woman's Day magazine: "A lot of people ask me questions about Hey Dad! but I've erased huge portions of my time on the show from my brain. I've literally blocked most of it out.

"This person used to sit me on his lap, or tickle me, but then he started putting his arm around me and trying to do this reach around thing and grabbing me [on the breast]. Or he'd just tickle me but, at the same time, try to feel me up.

"He never touched me below the waist because I always tried to make sure we were never alone. But he was always there flashing me or trying to cop a feel. I quickly learnt never to be alone in private with him, especially after he started flashing me."