Judy Finnigan has been forced into a humbling apology after her Loose Women debut sparked outrage when she appeared to defend convicted rapist and footballer Ched Evans as "not violent".
The 66-year-old presenter said the striker "didn't cause any bodily harm" to a 19-year-old woman he raped in a hotel room when she was too drunk to give consent.
She called for him to be allowed back on the pitch amid claims he could be set to re-sign for his former club Sheffield United after serving almost two years of his five year jail term.
"He's served his time," she said on the panel show.
"The rape and I am not, please, by any means minimising any kind of rape - but the rape was not violent. He didn’t cause any bodily harm to the person."
Evans, 25, is expected to be released next week after he was jailed in 2012.
An online petition calling for him to be blocked from playing football for Sheffield United again has gained more than 140,000 signatures.
She went on: "It was unpleasant, in a hotel room, I believe, and she was – she had far too much to drink. And you know, that is reprehensible, but he has been convicted and he has served his time.
"Now when he comes out, what are we supposed to do? Just actually refuse to let him do his job? Again, even though he has already been punished?"
The presenter's comments on the Wales international sparked a backlash on Twitter.
One user wrote: "Can't believe that Judy has just said on Loose Women it wasn't a bad rape, ANY rape is bad & wrong! Disgusting."
Another posted: "What is Judy Finnigan even talking about, rape is rape whether a girl is drunk or sober."
Finnigan later released a statement apologising for the offence caused by her remarks.
She said: "I absolutely wasn't suggesting that rape was anything other than an horrendous crime and, as I said on the programme, I was in no way attempting to minimise the terrible ordeal that any woman suffers as a result.
"The point I was attempting to raise as part of the debate was what should happen to someone after they have committed a crime and served their time?
"I apologise unreservedly for any offence that I may have caused as a result of the wording I used."
A spokesperson for the ITV show told the Mirror: "Loose Women is a daily talk show centred around topical debate and frank discussion. Opinions are expressed and exchanged from a mix of viewpoints."
