The bishop criticised for touching singer Ariana Grande on stage at Aretha Franklin's funeral has apologised.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Bishop Charles H Ellis III said it was never his intention to make Grande feel uncomfortable or touch her breast.
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"I don't know, I guess I put my arm around her. Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar, but again I apologise," he said.
Bishop Ellis noted he didn't exclusively hug Grande, but all the performers during the eight-hour long service on Friday (local time), reports CBS News.
"I hug all the female artists and the male artists," Ellis said. "Everybody that was up, I shook their hands and hugged them. That's what we are all about in the church. We are all about love."
The moment became a focal point of the historic day, with Twitter inundated with #RespectAriana, a reference to Franklin's 1967 song.
The bishop was also criticised for disrespecting the Hispanic community when he said he originally thought Grande's name was an item on a Taco Bell menu.
"When you're doing a program for nine hours you try to keep it lively, you try to insert some jokes here and there," he said.
Grande also courted controversy during the service, with many online saying her dress was too short for church.
Newshub.
