Emily Blunt apologises for 'insensitive' comments about waitress

Emily Blunt has apologised for the "insensitive" comments she once made about a waitress' size.

In newly resurfaced footage from the actress' 2012 appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, Emily recalled being served by an "enormous" female worker at a U.S. restaurant chain.

In the video, Emily also claimed the waitress, who worked at a branch of Chili's, must have enjoyed "freebie meals" at the eatery.

The clip was widely shared this week and some social media users branded the Oppenheimer actress "fatphobic".

Emily has now responded to the uproar and voiced her regret for the comments she made.

"I just need to address this head on as my jaw was on the floor watching this clip from 12 years ago," she said in a statement to People.

"I'm appalled that I would say something so insensitive, hurtful, and unrelated to whatever story I was trying to tell on a talk show."

Emily went on to express her remorse and insisted she should have known better than to comment on another person's body shape.

"I've always considered myself someone who wouldn't dream of upsetting anyone so whatever possessed me to say anything like this in that moment is unrecognisable to me or anything I stand for," she added.

"And yet it happened, and I said it and I'm so sorry for any hurt caused. I was absolutely old enough to know better."