Pamela Anderson has described Hugh Hefner as a "gentleman" said he was the only man to "ever treat her with respect".
The former Baywatch star, who appeared on the cover of Hugh's Playboy magazine 14 times, called him "chivalrous".
Pamela opened up about her bond with the Playboy mogul as she promotes her upcoming memoir and Netflix series which sheds light on her harrowing childhood and and her torrid struggles with men and fame.
In a new interview with The Times, Pamela was asked if anyone had "ever treated her with complete and utter respect."
"Hugh Hefner," she replied.
Pamela's admission comes after multiple allegations of abuse at the hands of Hugh inside the Playboy mansion.
Hugh passed away in 2017 aged 91 and Pamela called him the "most important person in my life", aside from direct family members.
Shortly after his death, Pamela took to Instagram to pay tribute and wrote: "I have so many thoughts, I have no brain right now to edit. I am me because of you.
"You taught me everything important about freedom and respect. Outside of my family, you were the most important person in my life, you gave me my life... People tell me all the time that I was your favourite..
"I'm in such deep shock. But you were old, your back hurt you so much. The last time I saw you, you were using a walker, you didn't want me to see, and you couldn't hear."
She continued: "You had a piece of paper in your pocket and you showed me my name Pamela with a heart around it."
Pamela said that Hugh "accepted her" and "encouraged her" to be herself.
"Thank you for making the world a better place. A frerer and sexier place. You were a charming, elegant, chivalrous gentleman and so much fun. Goodbye Hef ... Your Pamela," she wrote.
Following Hugh's death, a docuseries explored what went on behind the doors of the Playboy mansion, with Hugh being branded: "Number One Predator" by accusers.
Model Susie Krabacher accused Hugh of attacking her after she went into his room to ask if he would consider her for Playmate of the Year.
The model said that he offered her a pill to "calm her nerves" and she woke up to find he was raping her.
Audrey Huskey, another Playmate said that he sexually abused her after he invited her into his room to take test shots for the magazine.
She said that he offered her a joint and then pulled down his trousers, causing her to "freeze".
Audrey said that she didn't give consent.
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In a statement to Insider, a representative of Playboy spoke about the allegations: "The Hefner family is no longer associated with Playboy, and today's Playboy is not Hugh Hefner's Playboy.
"We trust and validate these women and their stories and we strongly support those individuals who have come forward to share their experiences. As a brand with sex-positivity at its core, we believe safety, security, and accountability are paramount."
The majority of allegations against Hefner however have not been subject to criminal investigations or charges, and they do not constitute proof of guilt.
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