Channel Seven sports broadcaster Hamish McLachlan has been forced to apologise after his on-air antics drew comparisons to disgraced cricketer Chris Gayle on Saturday.

Social media users were outraged after McLachlan interrupted a weather broadcast from Miss Universe Australia Monika Radulovic to place his arms around her waist.

Radulovic, who was filling in to cover the weekend weather on morning show Sunrise, was in the middle of a broadcast when McLachlan appeared on camera.

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“Is this your first day?” he quipped as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Radulovic continued with the broadcast before gently pushing McLachlan’s arms off her and saying: “Professional, please, my goodness.”

Watch the incident below:

The broadcast ended shortly after the incident, with viewers taking to Twitter to compare McLachlan to Big Bash League cricket Chris Gayle.

Gayle landed himself in hot water this week when he made an unwanted advance to Network Ten reporter Mel McLaughlin on camera on Monday night.

“Hamish McLachlan just realised he did a #ChrisGayle on weekend @sunriseon7,” one Twitter user wrote.

“How is what Hamish Mcglauchlan [sic] just did to the weather girl just then any different if not worse than what Chris Gayle did the other night???” another viewer posted on Facebook.

McLachlan was quick to front cameras following the backlash to apologise for the incident and any offence caused.

“I understand people have made stuff of it on social media and if I’ve offended anyone at home I’m apologising for that absolutely,” McLachlan told viewers, before directly apologising to Radulovic.

“More importantly I apologise if I’ve offended you because I want to have fun and that is my fault if I’ve offended you.”

“Not at all, I’m so sorry as well guys. I did not think twice about it,” Radulovic responded.

“Like Hamish said, we’re colleagues and friends and we were just chatting like we normally do off-camera and so nothing on my part.”

McLachlan then spoke directly to Weekend Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew in the show’s Sydney studio.

“Edwina I’m sorry if I’ve offended you [or] anyone watching at home. Mon and I didn’t think anything of it and now I got the phone call saying people have made a lot of it so I apologise to whoever I’ve offended,” McLachlan said.