Whoopi Goldberg suspended from 'The View' for "wrong and hurtful" Holocaust comments

She's been suspended from the talk show for a fortnight

Whoopi Goldberg has come under fire this week for comments she made during 'The View'.

Whoopi Goldberg is a panellist on the talk show. Earlier this week, there was a discussion about 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'Maus' among other books being removed from schools as they made children and parents feel "uncomfortable."

As the panel turned to the topics of racism and the Holocaust, Whoopi commented that: "The Holocaust isn't about race.

"It's about man's inhumanity to man. That's what it's about... These are two white groups of people... The minute you turn it into race, it goes down this alley. Let's talk about it for what it is. It's how people treat each other."

You can watch the conversation here.

Whoopi Goldberg subsequently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The host asked her about the comments, which had made the public "very angry."

She said: "I think of race as being something that I can see. So, I see you and I know what race you are."

"I understand," she continued. "I felt differently, I respect everything everyone is saying to me and I don’t want to fake apologise… I’m very upset that people misunderstood what I was saying."

Whoopi also released a statement saying: "On today's show, I said the Holocaust 'is not about race, but about man’s inhumanity to man'. I should have said it is about both.

"As Jonathan Greenblatt from the Anti-Defamation League shared, 'The Holocaust was about the Nazi's systematic annihilation of the Jewish people - who they deemed to be an inferior race.' I stand corrected.

"The Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver. I'm sorry for the hurt I have caused. Written with my sincerest apologies, Whoopi Goldberg."

Whoopi Goldberg also apologised on 'The View' saying: "Yesterday on the show I misspoke. [The Holocaust] is indeed about race, because Hitler and the Nazis considered the Jews to be an inferior race.

"Now, words matter, and mine are no exception. I regret my comments and I stand corrected. I also stand with the Jewish people."

The decision has been made to suspend Whoopi from the talk show "effective immediately."

Kim Godwin, President of ABC News, released a statement reading: "Effective immediately, I am suspending Whoopi Goldberg for two weeks for her wrong and hurtful comments.

"While Whoopi has apologized, I’ve asked her to take time to reflect and learn about the impact of her comments. The entire ABC News organization stands in solidarity with our Jewish colleagues, friends, family and communities."