The Project forced to apologise after unknowingly mocking visually impaired woman

The Project has been forced to issue an apology after hosts unknowingly mocked a woman who is visually impaired during a segment last week.

Comedian and guest host Nath Valvo was attempting a dig at Aussie PM Scott Morrison, when he started joking about Yvonne Sher, who sat with her back turned to Morrison. Nath was completely unaware she was visually impaired.

"Scott Morrison was at an RSL having a feed, as you do, and I think this woman had absolutely no idea – or did she?" Nath said during the segment aired on Thursday.

"She's pulling up a seat. She is unaware... look at this, she's even shuffling back, giving him the cold shoulder.

"Don't know if she knows? He knows. Oh! There he is. It's the PM! Look at that."

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Yvonne, the mother of a soldier who was killed during a rocket attack while serving in Afghanistan in January 2009, told The Australian afterwards she was left 'humiliated' by the discussion on The Project.

"They've tried to make me look like an idiot who doesn't know who the Prime Minister is – it was so humiliating," she told the publication.

She has reportedly since received a phone call from one of the show's producers, who apologised for what happened.

Nath Valvo also apologised to her daughter-in-law via social media, with The Australian reporting he said his "intention" had been to "poke fun at the PM".

"Huge sorry to you and the family… If we had known any of this, we would have never shown it. It’s no excuse but please know the intention was to poke fun at the PM," he reportedly said.

Nath was guest hosting the show alongside Waleed Aly, Lisa Wilkinson and Amy Remeikis.

The serious gaffe comes as it was revealed that Lisa Wilkinson won't be returning to The Project panel for three weeks with the presenter due back on the show on December 5.

The Australian revealed the news, questioning whether or not the many headlines that have come from the 61-year-old's new memoir It Wasn't Meant To Be Like This or the show's poor ratings could have been the reason for the break.

However, the publication added that was not the case, writing, "Ten sources say Wilkinson is simply on a well-earned break, before she takes the reins as The Project’s main female weekday host over the Christmas/New Year period when Carrie Bickmore is off."

One source shared that there was "optimism" in the building that Lisa's holiday could be the circuit-breaker the show's ratings need following the media circus that surrounded her book.

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