Emily Blunt sorry for 'hurtful' comments in resurfaced video

British actress Emily Blunt has apologised after an interview in which she mentions a server's appearance resurfaced on social media.

In the clip from the The Jonathan Ross Show, first aired in 2012, Blunt describes a waitress as "enormous".

The video was widely shared online this week, with some criticising Blunt for being "fatphobic".

The Oppenheimer star has since said she was "appalled" to have said "something so insensitive" and "hurtful".

During the interview, Blunt recalled making the film Looper in the United States and detailed her encounter with the restaurant server in a local restaurant.

On visiting a branch of the Chili's restaurant chain, show host Jonathan Ross says: "If you go to Chili's you can see why so many of our American friends are enormous."

Blunt replies: "Well the girl who was serving me was enormous. I think she got freebie meals at Chili's."

"Nothing wrong with that," Ross replies.

The actress, 40, goes on to further describe the encounter and how the waitress recognised her.

Blunt, who also starred in The Devil Wears Prada and A Quiet Place, issued a statement on Friday apologising for the remarks.

"I just need to address this head on as my jaw was on the floor watching this clip from 12-years ago," she said in a statement to People magazine.

"I'm appalled that I would say something so insensitive, hurtful, and unrelated to whatever story I was trying to tell on a talk show."

She adds: "I've always considered myself someone who wouldn't dream of upsetting anyone so whatever possessed me to say anything like this in that moment is unrecognisable to me or anything I stand for.

"And yet it happened, and I said it and I'm so sorry for any hurt caused. I was absolutely old enough to know better."