Arnie reveals all on Oprah show

Schwarzenegger has been accused of being a "woman-hater"

Political hopeful Arnold Schwarzenegger has said some of his colourful comments from the 70s were "bravado".

The actor, who is running for the office of California governor, was questioned alongside his wife, TV anchor Maria Shriver.

He has admitted to smoking marijuana and was quoted in a 1977 interview as saying he had tried group sex.

But the actor said he had made "outrageous" comments to promote bodybuilding.

And he denied suggestions from women's groups that he is a misogynist.

The 56-year-old actor, a Republican, and his Democrat wife, the niece of former US president John F Kennedy, were interviewed for Winfrey's top-rated US network show.

The actor dismissed past comments as "bravado"

It was recorded hours before a US appeals court delayed the October "recall" election to next year because of concerns over outdated voting machinery.

Schwarzenegger, who has been married to Shriver for 17 years, said things he said during his early career were often exaggerated.

"I think the 70s was a crazy decade," he said, adding that his comments were aimed at making headlines "and to be out there and to build the sport up".

"The idea was always to say things, over the top, so you get the headlines because bodybuilding, like I said, had no reputation yet. Of course at that time I did not know that I would be running for governor," he said.

He added he did not remember a much-quoted interview with men's magazine Oui in which he was quoted as saying he had taken part in group sex.

Shriver defended her husband, saying he was "the exact opposite" of a "woman hater".