Two Vancouver radio stations have apologized and taken a show off the air until the new year after its host made a controversial comment that touched off a storm on social media on Tuesday.

During the show, CFOX host Jeff O'Neil proposed that CKNW guest host Chris Gailus ask federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau a question — which many found offensive and misogynistic — during an upcoming interview.

O'Neil suggested that Gailus ask Trudeau whom he would "F, kill or marry," among Laureen Harper (the prime minister's wife), Health Minister Rona Ambrose or former governor general Michaëlle Jean.

Gailus, the regular evening news host on Global Television, was criticized on social media for appearing to go along with the joke.

He and sports host Squire Barnes, who was also on the show, later issued statements on Twitter, with Gailus saying he was "caught completely off guard by an offensive and disrespectful segment....It was not funny and it was #NOTokay."

Stations apologize

Both CKNW and Global Television have since issued an apology for the incident, and The Jeff O'Neil Show has been temporally taken off the air by CFOX.

The show will return to the air on an undisclosed date in the new year, according to a statement issued by CKNW. Both CKNW and CFOX are owned by Corus Entertainment.

“This morning on CKNW there was some very inappropriate comments and suggestions made that were offensive to many of our listeners. I would like to apologize for that and assure that those comments will not be repeated on this radio station," said Ian Koenigsfest, brand manager of CKNW.

"I would also like to apologize to Chris Gailus and Squire Barnes, who are hosting the CKNW Morning Show this week, for being put in an awkward situation from which they were unaware, and assure them that such a situation will not occur again.”

CFOX also issued an apology.

"We recognize now that the segment we did with the CKNW morning show and Global personalities was in tremendously poor taste to not only women, but all members of our community," said a statement on the CFOX website.

Online comments light up Twitter