Dr James Watson has apologised for the racist comments he made in an interview in the Sunday Times newspaper which led to the Science Museum cancelling a talk to promote his new book.

Dr Watson said that he was “mortified” by what he had said and he can understand why people reacted the way they did upon reading it.

Watson apologised “reservedly” to those whom he may have offended by implying that he thought Africa was, genetically, an intellectually inferior continent.

The Nobel Prize laureate insisted that these were not his views and also hinted that he had been misquoted.

"I cannot understand how I could have said what I am quoted as having said."

The scientist is known for causing controversy in the past, suggesting that woman should have the choice to abort unborn babies that have been proved to be homosexuals, that black people have a higher libido and that scientists should genetically engineer women so that they are all attractive.

"People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty, I think it would be great."

Don’t we all Dr Watson, don’t we all.