THE BBC's sports editor has apologised for off-air comments he made about Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha after he died in a helicopter crash.

A recording emerged of Dan Roan's remarks about Vicahi’s marriage, which were picked up by microphones outside Leicester's King Power Stadium.

He made them on Monday just yards from the crash site where thousands had come to lay flowers, including Vicahi’s wife Aimon and son Aiyawatt.

He was captured by Sky News in an off-air conversation questioning Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s relationship with his PA and former Miss Thai Universe runner-up Nursara Suknamai who was also killed in the crash.

Roan was overheard saying: "The mistress who died in the crash… otherwise known as a member of staff…i.e. mistress.

“If you were a billionaire, it’s relatively expected, so we shouldn’t judge.”

The recording was later posted online and hundreds of football fans slammed Roan’s remarks.

One wrote: "It doesn't matter that it was private, or off-air, you were stood 5 yards away from his memorial.

"So disrespectful, so thoughtless and hurtful."

On Monday afternoon Roan tweeted to apologise for his comments and said “no offence was intended”.

He wrote: “Just want to say sorry for some comments made in a private, off-air conversation earlier with a colleague. Absolutely no offence intended."

A spokesman for the BBC said: "This was an ill-judged comment made in a private off-air conversation for which Dan has apologised."

Roan, from Northampton, has been the sports editor for the BBC since September 2014.

He joined the corporation in the 1990s and has previously held the roles of Chief Sports Correspondent and Sports News Correspondent.

Roan was given an honorary degree by the University of Northampton in July this year.

Tributes flooded in for Mr Srivaddhanaprabha and the other victims of the horror crash following Saturday’s match against West Ham United.

Police confirmed the others who died were employees Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz, who was also a professional pilot.

It comes as Leicester City players joined Vichai's family in paying a tearful tribute to the club owner on Monday.

Players - including striker Jamie Vardy and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel - held back tears as they stood by Vichai's son Aiyawatt at the memorial.

Aiyawatt wept as he lay a floral tribute today among of a sea of wreaths and well-wishes left by fans of the club, joined by Vichai's sobbing wife.