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Ex-Rugby League star Matty Johns apologises after picture of Adolf Hitler was Photoshopped onto seats at NRL game

AUSTRALIA legend Matty Johns was forced to apologise after his Fox League show Photoshopped an image of Adolf Hitler onto a seat at an NRL match.

The Aussie competition has a "Fan In the Stand" scheme where supporters pay to send in photos of themselves to be turned into seat covers in the empty stands.

 Matty Johns fronted up and apologised for the embarrassing gaffe on his show
Matty Johns fronted up and apologised for the embarrassing gaffe on his showCredit: Getty Images - Getty

But after an image of serial killer Dr Harold Shipman was put on to a seat during Sunday’s clash between Penrith and Newcastle, the Fox League show went a step further with their Hitler gaffe.

It was blasted and Johns said: “The segment on my Fox League show on Sunday in which we showed an image of Hitler in crowd cut outs was in poor taste and completely inappropriate.

“I know Fox Sports has apologised but I need to personally step up to this.

“I acknowledge it was wrong and I apologise to our viewers and to everyone in the community who is rightly concerned and offended by the segment.

“I've reached out and spoken directly to Vic Alhadeff at the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies to apologise to the Jewish community and I'll be apologising on air to all our viewers on Thursday night's show.”

Mr Alhadeff, who is the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies Chief Executive, said Johns was aware the joke had been made in poor taste.

He said: “He acknowledged that the issue is very sensitive for members of the Jewish community and offensive to the Jewish community and should not have happened.

"He fully acknowledged that it was a poor error of judgement and in very poor taste, and I commend him for owning it and acknowledging it."

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