Talking Heads singer David Byrne has apologised over a resurfaced video in which he appeared in blackface.

Back in 1984, David filmed a promotional clip for the concert film Stop Making Sense, showing him interviewing himself while playing multiple different reporters, darkening his skin with make-up for certain characters.

In a series of tweets posted earlier this week, the frontman acknowledged that the clip had been pointed out to him by a journalist during a recent interview.

“I’d just about forgotten about this skit and I’m grateful that it has been brought to my attention,” he explained.

David continued: “To watch myself in the various characters, including black and brown face, I acknowledge it was a major mistake in judgement that showed a lack of real understanding. It’s like looking in a mirror and seeing someone else – you’re not, or were not, the person you thought you were.

“We have huge blind spots about ourselves- well, I certainly do. I’d like to think I am beyond making mistakes like this, but clearly at the time I was not.

“Like I say at the end of our Broadway show American Utopia ‘I need to change too’… and I believe I have changed since then.” 

He added: “One hopes that folks have the grace and understanding to allow that someone like me, anyone really, can grow and change, and that the past can be examined with honesty and accountability.”

David is the latest high-profile celebrity to publicly apologise for having previously performed in blackface, with comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliams issuing a joint statement about their shows Little Britain and Come Fly With Me in June.

This came days after Ant and Dec publicly apologised for “impersonating people of colour” in past series of their hit ITV show Saturday Night Takeaway.