Neil Patrick Harris sorry for 'tranny' comment

Neil Patrick Harris has apologised for using the word 'tranny' during an episode of Live!.

The How I Met Your Mother star was standing in as a guest host on the long-running talk show with Kelly Ripa on December 1.

Harris and Ripa inhaled some sulfur hexafluoride during a segment, which gives the opposite reaction to inhaling helium. When he realised he sounded like Silence of the Lambs killer Buffalo Bill, he joked: "Put the lotion in the basket."

He later remarked: "I've never sounded more like a tranny in my life."

The actor later tweeted his apologies for saying the word, writing: "Truly sorry for saying the word 'tranny' on Live this week. Twice! (sic).

"Should have been more thoughtful. Didn't mean at all to offend."

Neil Patrick Harris recently dismissed reports that he will permanently replace Regis Philbin as co-host of Live!.

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Watch a clip from the show below: