Penny Lancaster has issued an apology after accidentally killing off songwriter and pianist Burt Bacharach during Friday’s ‘Loose Women’.

During the show, Penny discussed the recent loss of Aretha Franklin, whose song ‘I Say A Little Prayer’ was co-penned by Bacharach.

When fellow panellist Rebecca Ferguson mentioned it had been her dream to sing with Bacharach, which she was eventually able to do, Penny lamented that he had “passed not so long ago”.

Shortly after this, the show cut to an ad break, after which anchor Kaye Adams joked that “news of Burt Bacharach’s demise had been much exaggerated”.

Slapping herself on the wrist, Penny explained: “I do apologise because, of course, Burt Bacharach is still alive and with us, and well.

“I think what it was… he’s 90, and I saw a recent tribute and I got the wrong end of the stick. And so happy birthday, and I hope you carry on writing that wonderful music.”

The photographer and former model, best known for her marriage to Sir Rod Stewart, also joked that she’d be getting a “telling off” from her husband over the gaffe, as he has previously covered one of Bacharach’s songs.

Burt Bacharach’s hefty back catalogue spans more than four decades, having previously penned hits like ‘Walk On By’, ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’ and ‘Wishin’ And Hopin’ for Dionne Warwick, ‘What’s New Pussycat?’ for Sir Tom Jones and ‘Close To You’, made famous by The Carpenters.

‘Loose Women’ airs every weekday from 12.30pm on ITV.