Ron MacLean Says His Comment On 'Hockey Night In Canada' Was A 'Misunderstanding'

Hockey Night In Canada host Ron MacLean has apologized after a "misunderstanding" on Tuesday night.

The 61-year-old broadcaster was accused of making a homophobic comment during Game 4 of the Toronto Maple Leafs versus the Montreal Canadiens on May 25, leading some people to call for him to be fired.

Responding to co-host Kevin Bieksa, MacLean had commented "you have a photo of a guy with his tarp off, you're definitely positive for something."

"I regret and apologize for what happened last night," MacLean wrote on Wednesday afternoon.

He went on to explain the context of his comment, before saying, "I meant the rum."

"I understand that when others are within "earshot" of a 2-way conversation, the potential for a misunderstanding exists," he added. "If you only heard that last line in isolation, I completely understand how that misunderstanding occurred."

After saying he is "deeply sorry," for the controversy, the Hockey Night in Canada host confirmed that he'd reached out to "several guiding lights in the equity seeking arena, my allies in the LGBTQ2S+ community and to my co-workers to receive their wisdom and continue our joint effort to tend the hearts of us all."

"I appreciate the power of the voices who spoke to me last night and this morning," he concluded. "It's how change works."