The star of The Bachelor, Locky Gilbert, has been forced to apologise after an offensive post from his social media surfaced on Thursday.

Gilbert shared a post on MySpace in 2004, when he was a 16-year-old high school student in Perth.

The post is a map of Australia with a Southern Cross below it, and the phrase: "F*** off were (sic) full. Aussie Pride."

The phrase is associated with anti-immigration and anti-refugee sentiment.

Gilbert said in a statement to the Daily Mail he was "deeply sorry" for the post and he didn't hold the views expressed in it.

"I am deeply sorry for the image I posted on MySpace over 14 years ago. I do not hold these views and I apologise for the offence I have caused," Gilbert said.

The social media account is no longer active.

On Wednesday's episode of The Bachelor viewers were distracted by contestant Juliette's plunging neckline. While the storyline focused on her conniving behaviour, one viewer said they didn't "know where to look".

The production of The Bachelor earlier this year was temporarily disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the contestants into lockdown in March.

Episodes were filmed from home with the women having video dates with Gilbert.

A number of episodes have featured dramatic, tearful fights between the female contestants.

Originally published as Bachelor star apologises over social post