This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

The actor Mathew Horne has apologised after criticising the BBC’s political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, in a string of tweets.

The Gavin and Stacey star called Kuenssberg a “disingenuous plopcarpet” and called on her to resign over her coverage of the general election.

He has since deleted the tweets, which were posted in the early morning of Friday as the election results came in.

“I apologise to both @bbclaurak and the BBC for my comments on election night,” he wrote. “I was caught up in the frenzy of the election and realise I used my public platform and passion for politics in an incorrect way. I regret this & we should stand together. Merry Christmas one and all.”

In his election night tweets, Horne had written: “I really wish I loved myself as much as you Laura @bbclaurak – I think, although deeply selfish, I’d probably be happier. For a bit. Lucky you.”

It was reported that Kuenssberg was discussing Labour’s losses around the time of Horne’s tweet.

Horne then retweeted a message from Kuenssberg in which she said that the “swing in the North of England is pretty consistently v big Labour to Tory”. Horne wrote: “Let’s see … your ‘journalism’ knows no bounds. Resign, you disingenuous plopcarpet.”

Horne will reprise his role as Gavin Shipman in the Christmas special of Gavin and Stacey, which is due to air on BBC One on Christmas Day.