BRONCOS star Sam Thaiday has been forced to apologise for sparking a racism storm on Channel 9’s The Footy Show (NRL).

The Australian Kangaroos representative fan-favourite has outraged social commentators for a one-line joke he tried to make on Thursday night.

Despite playing in a Test match for Australia in Canberra on Friday night, Thaiday was forced to apologise on Saturday when his comment created a racism storm on social media.

It started when the Test forward made a comment about his sexual preferences surrounding Hollywood star Halle Berry when asked on the show by co-host Beau Ryan who his first celebrity crush was.

Roosters star Aidan Guerra said Olivia Newton-John was his first celeb crush, Cowboys superstar Johnathan Thurston said Martina Hingis was his and Warriors star Shaun Johnson said Jessica Alba was his first celebrity infatuation.

Sam Thaiday has apologised. Source: Getty Images

Then Thaiday said Berry was his first crush before inferring his crush on the star actress was during his “jungle fever” phase of preferring “dark girls”.

“I reckon Halle Berry was my first one,” he said.

“That’s when I like went through my jungle fever phase of liking dark girls there for a while. The I figured out if it ain’t white it ain’t right.”

He then said English pop star Adele is another of his celeb crushes.

“Adele, maybe. She can sing. She’s C-B-C as well — chubby, but cute,” he said.

According to a claim from the Deadly Choices organisation — an initiative of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) — Thaiday has also been asked for an explanation for his comment as an ambassador for the Deadly Choices movement.

“Deadly Choices does not support the comments made by Sam Thaiday on Thursday night’s Footy Show,” A Deadly Choices statement said.

“Sam’s comments were not Deadly — they were unnecessary and offensive. We are discussing these concerns with Sam.

“Clearly Sam’s comments are not consistent with his role as a Deadly Choices ambassador.”

His comment has sparked widespread criticism on social media, headlined by NSW government representative Linda Burney.

No Sam not funny just stupid #samthaiday — Linda Burney MP (@LindaBurneyMP) May 6, 2017

Pretty interesting how Sam Thaiday is happy to promote Aboriginal culture when he gets paid but thinks demeaning black women is funny — Amy McQuire (@amymcquire) May 5, 2017

@pauldutton1968 @pmarrii @samthaiday complain to Deadly Choices as well - how dare he take black $ when actively demeaning Black women — Amy McQuire (@amymcquire) May 5, 2017

U can delete it @NRLFootyShow but we cant unsee it. been a @brisbanebroncos fan my whole life! Disgusted @samthaiday pic.twitter.com/CCuoIFH3yw — Larissa Baldwin (@Riss_Bundjalung) May 6, 2017

@samthaiday Is either stupid or he has exposed a culture in @NRL that's disgraceful. Which one is it? #samthaiday — Simone Clarkson (@Simmeee) May 6, 2017

#samthaiday not my Deadly Choice. Proud to be one of those "dark girls" Don't want my daughters to be thought of as a phase. #junglefever pic.twitter.com/QKiV6KOrg8 — Proudblacksista (@ColleenLavelle1) May 6, 2017

@samthaiday Your comments on the Footy Show was very degrading. Patty Mills is one of the biggest sports star, yet he is very humble. — Charlotte David (@MsDavid77) May 6, 2017

Jeez mate - wrong on every level. Deserves being challenged very publicly, everywhere by everybody. #SamThaiday https://t.co/jSEOwKQyyQ — Leanne de Souza (@rebelbuzz) May 6, 2017

Thaiday’s public apology was not enough for some fans to forget the comment.

Thaiday posted an image to his Instagram account on Saturday to apologise unreservedly.

“I am proud of my indigenous heritage,” Thaiday wrote.

“I have two indigenous daughters of my own. My joke was a poor attempt at humour with poorly chosen words. There is no place for racism in society. I take responsibility for my actions, it is not who I am and I apologise unreservedly.”