A popular China Central Television (CCTV) host apologized Thursday after he was seen in a video making disrespectful remarks about the late Chairman Mao Zedong.

"I feel guilty and sorry for my comments which left a negative impact on society. I hereby offer to the public my deepest regrets. As a public figure, I have learned my lesson and will observe self-discipline," wrote Bi Fujian on his Sina Weibo on Thursday.

The video received over 100,000 comments within an hour after it was posted.

Bi's title as an ambassador of a national education project was revoked on Wednesday for "causing irrevocably baneful influence" on faculty, students and parents in the project.

The talent show Bi hosted has been removed from CCTV's official website, and his weekly show on Saturdays may be replaced this week by a TV series, according to news portal sina.com.cn.

Criticism of Bi, 56, a popular CCTV talent show host, began on Monday when a video showing his remarks at a restaurant caught much attention online.

While singing some parts of an iconic play, Bi was also seen in the video saying that Mao led people to misery.

The China Artists Association published a statement on Thursday, saying that its president, Liu Dawei, was not at the restaurant and does not know Bi.

"Some have deliberately attached Liu's photo to pictures in the restaurant along with captions which said that Liu was applauding Bi … Liu was in Baotou, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to pay tribute to his deceased father from Sunday to Wednesday," read the statement.

It added that the association has reported the incident to related authorities and will hold rumormongers accountable.

The CCTV said Wednesday it would "seriously handle" the matter in line with related regulations and based on its investigation.