The funnyman sparked outrage in his native country after an appearance on Australian TV show Good News Week on Monday night (16Nov09), in which he called Queen Elizabeth II a "sad, old lady" and branded her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a "mad old bigot".
Elton's remark sparked a flurry of complaints from furious viewers, and he's now apologised for his outburst.
A representative for the star says in a statement, "Ben Elton apologises for any offence which may have been caused. The quotes attributed to him have been taken entirely out of context."