Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood backtracks on comments about Hollywood pedophile ring as he claims his words were taken out of context and insists he has 'no first hand experience' of predatory 'vipers'

Back track: Elijah Wood, 35, (pictured) says his comments about Hollywood and sex abuse that made headlines globally were taken out of context

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood has backtracked on his comments about young Hollywood actors being sexually abused by predatory high-powered 'vipers' in the industry.

The actor, 35, sent shockwaves through the world when he was quoted by The Sunday Times saying that child abuse is rife in Tinseltown - and is 'probably still happening'.

But on Monday, Wood posted a statement on Twitter insisting his words were off-the-cuff comments taken out of context.

Across five tweets, he wrote: 'The Sunday Times interviewed me about my latest film but the story became about something else entirely.

'It prompted a number of false and misleading headlines. 

'I had just seen a powerful documentary and I briefly spoke with the reporter about the subject which had consequences I did not intend or expect. Lesson learned. 

'Let me be clear: This subject of child abuse is an important one that should be discussed and properly investigated. 

'But as I made absolutely clear to the writer, I have no first hand experience or observation of the topic, so I cannot speak with any authority beyond articles I have read and films I have seen.'

The Sunday Times and writer Oliver Thring have yet to comment on Wood's statement.

Shocking allegations that top Hollywood figures have been protecting child abusers have circulated widely in recent years. 

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Several industry figures have been convicted following claims of sex abuse and former child actors - including The Goonies actor Corey Feldman, 44 - claimed he was 'surrounded' by molesters when he was a teenager. 

Wood, who stars in his new film The Trust, told The Sunday Times that his mother had protected him from abuse when he first arrived in Hollywood aged eight. 

But he said: 'I've been led down dark paths to realize that these things are probably still happening.'

The actor, who played Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings, was quoted as saying he believes that other actors remain in danger.

He said: 'If you're innocent, you have very little knowledge of the world and you want to succeed.

'People with parasitic interests will see you as their prey. What upsets me about these situations is that the victims can't speak as loudly as the people in power.'

Wood was talking to the Sunday Times about Jimmy Savile, a British entertainer who sexually abused dozens of victims over five decades.

Savile was knighted by the Queen and his crimes were only revealed after his death, despite years of rumor and innuendo and led to allegations of a cover-up by government figures and broadcasting chiefs.

Anne Henry, co-founder of Bizparentz - a group to help young actors - said that Tinseltown is currently sheltering around '100 active abusers'.

Henry believes that around three quarters of child actors that 'went off the rails' later in their life had been abused in Hollywood. 

She said: 'This problem has been endemic in Hollywood for a long time and it's finally coming to light.

'Very bad people are still working here, protected by their friends.' 

In the last 10 years, several wealthy and significant people involved in the industry have been convicted.

Some have left prison and returned to Hollywood and continued to work with children.

Anne Henry, co-founder of Bizparentz, a group to help young actors, said that Tinseltown is currently sheltering around '100 active abusers'

Cover-ups: Corey Feldman (left) has made many allegations about child-sex rings and abuse in Hollywood. Elijah Wood said that the story of British entertainer Jimmy Savile (right) has many similarities 

Wood compared the allegations in Hollywood to the claims linked to Savile following his death in October 2011.

Wood said: 'You all grew up with Savile - Jesus, it must have been devastating. Clearly something major was going on in Hollywood. It was all organised.

'There are a lot of vipers in this industry. There is a darkness in the underbelly - if you can imagine it, it's probably happened.' 

Feldman, who was one of the biggest child stars in the 1980s, was abused when he was a young actor.

He said: 'The No 1 problem in Hollywood was and is - and always will be - pedophilia.' 

Other child actors were reportedly told by adults that it was perfectly normal for older men and younger boys in the industry to have sexual relations.

Feldman told a British tabloid four years ago: 'When I was 14 and 15, things were happening to me. These older men were leching around me like vultures.'

He went on to suffer with alcoholism, mental health problems and became addicted to drugs.

His friend, Corey Haim, another child actor, died of pneumonia aged 38 in 2010. Feldman claims a 'Hollywood mogul' is to blame for his friend's death.

He said abusers are still working and are some of the richest and most powerful people in the business.

It was also claimed that a number of pool parties were held in Los Angeles during the late 1990s - primarily hosted by millionaire businessman Marc Collins-Rector.

At these parties, Collins-Rector and other men are said to have sexually assaulted teenage boys, according to lawsuits filed in 2000 and 2014.