White TV anchor apologises to black colleague after comparing him to a gorilla

A TV anchor at Oklahoma City TV publicly apologised after comparing her black colleague to a gorilla during a broadcast last week.

The New York Post reports that Alex Housden ended a segment about a gorilla at the Oklahoma City Zoo by comparing it to her longtime co-host Jason Hackett.

Newsweek reports the comment immediately drew widespread criticism from many on social media, with the comments being called racist.

In video footage which has now gone viral, Housden was seated next to Hackett and apologised.

Hackett said that while they were friends, the comment “cut deep”.

The apology was met with mixed reaction, with many still calling for Housden to be fired.