SUNRISE co-host and Port Adelaide chairman David Koch left his co-stars visibly stunned on-air this morning when he made a reference to slavery during a news item about Usain Bolt.

Koch was on a panel alongside co-host Sam Armytage, newsreader Natalie Barr and sports reporter Mark Beretta as Baretta read out a story a European football club’s interest in snatching Bolt before he signs with the Central Coast Mariners.

Bolt’s stock skyrocketed after he scored twice in a trial match for the Mariners. He is yet to sign an A-League deal with the Gosford-based club.

Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt now plays for A-League football club Central Coast Mariners. Picture: Peter Parks/AFP Source: AFP

“So the Mariners sell him for money, they make a lot of money out of it?” asked Koch.

“It’s a win-win: You keep him, great. You sell him, so be it. That’s the tough world of professional football,” said Beretta.

This isn’t correct -- the Mariners can’t sell Bolt to another club as they haven’t signed him to a contract -- but regardless Koch’s comments made the details of the story irrelevant.

“Who said slavery was over — anyway. No,” said Koch, stumbling over his words before quickly changing topic.

The cameras soon cut away from the host — but not before the rest of the panel reacted to Koch’s clanger:

Note Mark Beretta’s poker face. Source: Channel 7

The comment didn’t go unnoticed by Sunrise viewers:

Did Kochie really just make a slavery joke? @sunriseon7 #sunrise — Alistair Roberts (@ShadowRoberts) October 15, 2018

"Who said slavery was over?"



This is what Kochie had to say about the transfer of one of the world's greatest athletes, Usain Bolt, on Sunrise this morning. #sun7



Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/0uHr3QhzKR — Weh Yeoh (@wmyeoh) October 15, 2018

Kochie, what was the end of your joke? "Who said slavery was...."? @sunriseon7 — Postyrus (@postyrus) October 15, 2018

Just watched 10 seconds of @sunriseon7 and Kochie nearly blurted out some kind of slavery joke? What the hell dude? — generic doe (@genericjoesmith) October 15, 2018

Sunrise has been contacted for comment. Kochie’s clanger comes a month after Sunrise was found to have breached the TV code of practice over a March 13 segment on Indegenous children that was deemed “highly offensive, racist and divisive”.