“I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be,” the winner of the best actor Oscar wrote on Instagram.

The apology comes after the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences, the body that awards the Oscars, said it was launching a formal review of the shocking incident when Smith attacked the comedian over a joke about his wife’s hair.

“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” Smith said in his apology.

“Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.”