Patricia Karvelas forced to apologise after one-word blunder on her live radio show

ABC star Patricia Karvelas has been forced to apologize live on air after her guest used the word “schizophrenic” to describe a policy.

Karvelas apologized on Wednesday morning, just hours after Anthony Albanese apologized during Question Time for mocking Tourette’s syndrome.

“My guest, a few guests ago… used the word schizophrenic when describing policy,” Karvelas said.

‘I can understand why people are offended by this [it] and then I repeated it, and then of course I can only apologize for myself, and for that I also apologize.”

Karvelas organizes a national ABC radio breakfast on weekday mornings.

The blunder comes after the Prime Minister was called out for a comment he made during Question Time on Tuesday while answering a question about whether Labor would tax single-family homes.

Faced with interjections from Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor, who repeatedly said: ‘Rule it out’, Mr Albanese turned his attention to the Hume MP.

“That nonsense they go on with… Do you have Tourette’s or something?” Mr. Albanese said, and some in the room laughed.

‘Just sit there, chat chat chat.’

While Mr Albanese withdrew his comments, his comments were immediately criticized by the opposition and the cross-bench.

The Prime Minister returned to Parliament later on Tuesday to apologize.

“Today in Question Time I made comments that were unkind and hurtful,” he told the House.

‘I knew it was wrong as soon as I made the comment.

“I apologized and I withdrew as soon as I said it, but it shouldn’t have happened and I would also like to apologize to all Australians who suffer from this disability.

‘I’m sorry I said it. It was wrong. It was insensitive. And I apologize.”

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder that belongs to the spectrum of conditions known as tic disorders.

Prime Minister Albanese has been criticized for questioning whether Liberal MP Angus Hume had Tourette’s syndrome. Image: APH