A TV host broke down in tears as she apologized for saying her black colleague looks like a gorilla live on air.

Alex Housden, during a TV show segment about a gorilla, commented about a gorilla at Oklahoma City’s zoo by telling black colleague Jason Hackett: "Kinda looks like you."

Her racist statement elicited a backlash as people called for her to be fired from KOCO-TV,  and she was forced to apologise the following day.

She groveled as she said sorry to Jason Hackett on Oklahoma’s KOCO-TV last Thursday, August 22.

Breaking down in tears, Housden said: "I’m here this morning, because I want to apologize. Not only to my co-worker Jason, but to our entire community.

"I said something yesterday that was inconsiderate, it was inappropriate and I hurt people. And i want you to know I understand how much I hurt you out there."

She then faced Hackett and said: "I know how much I hurt you. I love you so much. You are one of my best friends for the last year and a half and I would never do anything on purpose to hurt you.

"And I love our community. And I want you to know that from the bottom of my heart I apologize for what I said. I know it was wrong and I am so sorry."

Hackett quickly forgave her.

He said he "accepted and appreciated" Housden’s apology.

He added: "Alex is one of my best friends. What she said yesterday was wrong. It cut deep for me and a lot of you in the community.

"I want this to be a teachable moment… words matter, there’s no doubt about that."

Watch the apology segment below.