Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has been grilled on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, admitting he “shouldn’t have had dinner” with the controversial figure.

Mr Gates made the admission during an appearance on ABC’s 7:30 program with host Sarah Ferguson.

Ferguson grilled Mr Gates on Monday about his association with the disgraced financier, and asked if he had regretted the relationship they had “maintained”.

“You’re going way back in time,” Mr Gates said.

“New audience,” Ferguson retorted.

“I will say for over the 100th time, yeah, I shouldn’t have had dinner with him,” Mr Gates continued, leaving an awkward pause in the conversation.

Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking, was well-connected in high society.

He was known for socialising with the likes of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew.

Ferguson prodded further about whether Mr Gates’ relationship with Epstein was something ex-wife Melinda French-Gates “was warning him about” prior to their separation in 2021.

“No. I mean it’s … No. I had dinner with him, and that’s all,” Mr Gates said.

“And that you regret the relationship? The acquaintance?” Ferguson clarified.

“That I had dinner with him,” Mr Gates responded.

In 2022, Ms French-Gates told CBS that Mr Gates’ association with Epstein was one of “many things” that led to their split.

“I did not like that he’d had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no,” she said,

Ms French-Gates said that she had made that “very clear” to Mr Gates, and said her own single encounter with Epstein left a very poor impression.

“I regretted it from the second I stepped in the door. He was abhorrent, he was evil personified, I had nightmares about it afterwards.”

There are reports that the pair were allegedly connecting in a business capacity.

According to an investigation by the New York Times, Epstein had once pitched a plan for a charitable fund for health projects, and was seeking financial backing from the Gates Foundation.

Ferguson also probed Mr Gates on the funding, but he shot down the suggestion, saying there “never was any relationship of any kind”.

In June 2022, Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to spend 20 years’ jail for helping him sexually abuse teenage girls.

‘Awkward conversation’

Ferguson’s interview with the billionaire had a mixed reception.

2GB host Ben Fordham called the conversation “awkward”, but understood why Ferguson asked the questions.

“It was an awkward conversation… but if she didn’t raise it, she would have been criticised too,” he said.

Other viewers chimed in on social media.

One called Ferguson’s ‘gotcha’ question “really unnecessary and bad”.

“Bill Gates has done more than anyone else for the planet, but ABC’s 7.30 couldn’t resist the gotcha question,” they wrote.

Another said it was an “odd question, asked in an odd way”.

Others applauded Ferguson for pushing through.

“Surprised the ABC questioned him on this and also pushed harder on this! Good on [Ferguson],” said one viewer.

“[He was] clearly so furious with the line of questioning, he couldn’t even say thank you at the end. Well done [Ferguson],” said another.