British "MasterChef" critic and magazine editor William Sitwell is battling a backlash over a comment he made about "killing vegans, one by one."

British TV personality William Sitwell (right) in BBC's Michelin Stars: The Madness of Perfection.

BuzzFeed reported that Sitwell, the former editor of Waitrose Food magazine, made the statement in an email to freelance writer Selene Nelson, who had pitched a series on plant-based cooking.

In his response, Sitwell reportedly wrote to her, "How about a series on killing vegans, one by one. Ways to trap them? How to interrogate them properly? Expose their hypocrisy? Force-feed them meat? Make them eat steak and drink red wine?"

Following an uproar, Sitwell, who is also a food critic on BBC's "MasterChef," apologised and said that he is resigning from his position at the magazine, which states it features "recipes and articles from the world's best chefs and food writers."