Sky News presenter Kay Burley is in trouble again after remarking that a smear of ash across US Vice-President Joe Biden’s forehead was a “large bruise”.

In a conversation with Sky US correspondent Greg Milam, Miss Burley suggested Mr Biden, a Catholic, “may have walked into a door” prior to giving an address on the state of the US economy.

She apologised after being alerted to her mistake during a commercial break only to make another ill-considered gaffe.

“I’ve said three Hail Marys, everything is going to be fine,” she said.

It is tradition for ash to be smeared on the forehead as a sign of repentance on Ash Wednesday, the start of the period of Lent when Christians fast and abstain from some of their favourite things before Easter.

Miss Burley recently faced calls to resign after a controversial interview with pop singer Peter André, in which he broke down after she asked him what he would do if his ex-wife Katie Price’s new husband Alex Reid wanted to adopt his children.