Olympic gymnast Louis Smith has apologised for the ‘racist’ video that he posted, in which he is appearing to mock Islam.
Appearing on ITV’s Loose Women, Louis was remorseful as he looked to explain the background to the ‘drunken’ video, in which he is seen kneeling to pray.
The clip also features fellow gymnast Luke Carson shouting “Allahu Akbar” and it has led to Louis receiving death threats from jihadists.
This prompted the ITV show to bring in extra security for Louis’s appearance on the show.
This was not the only controversy that has come out surrounding this video.
Viewers took to social media to take the Loose Women panellists to task for their apparent ‘bullying’ of the Olympian.
Louis said that he was “acting like an idiot” during some down time after the Rio Olympics but as he tried to explain himself further, he was repeatedly interrupted.
Janet Street Porter asked: “You’re not a teenager isn’t that the behaviour of someone younger?”
Louis replied: “It’s been such a crazy year and I haven’t really had a chance to act like an idiot after the Rio olympic games, it was a time when I was at my best friends wedding, all my friends and family were there and [I was] in a place where you think you’re safe and you can perhaps be a bit of an idiot.”
June Sarpong then questioned Louis as to whether his actions were inappropriate due to his mixed-race background.
Louis insisted though that he wasn’t a racist, as he defended himself.
He said: “What I did wasn’t racist. What I did was very offensive.
“It’s certainly not racist, I’ve encountered it myself. It’s something that I do not condone.”
Former Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley jumped to his defence, after she got to know while competing against him on Strictly.
She argued: “I’ve known Louis for four years now, you are a good person.
“All this fame has gone to your head? Were you wrapped up in it?”
Louis denied this, saying he was “just living my life” but was “ashamed of my actions”.