Neil Patrick Harris apologises for 'Amy Winehouse corpse' birthday cake

Watch: Neil Patrick Harris apologises for Amy Winehouse cake

Actor Neil Patrick Harris has issued an apology for displaying a cake depicting Amy Winehouse's corpse at a party in 2011.

The 'Valerie' singer died of alcohol poisoning in July 2011 and three months later Harris hosted a Halloween party that featured food decorated to look like the corpse of Winehouse.

Harris has now released a statement apologising after a photo from the party went viral earlier this year.

The How I Met Your Mother star said in the statement: “A photo recently resurfaced from a Halloween-themed party my husband and I hosted 11 years ago.

It was regrettable then, and it remains regrettable now. Amy Winehouse was a once-in-a-generation talent, and I’m sorry for any hurt this image caused.”

Read more: Can you complete the Amy Winehouse lyric?

The picture was originally tweeted by actor Justin Mikita who is married to Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

In the graphic image, a mould of Winehouse's likeness can be seen without an eye and her tongue hanging out of her mouth with her face decomposing.

Winehouse died at the age of 27 after suffering from addiction and alcoholism most of her adult life after rocketing to fame in 2003 with her debut album Frank.

Her life has been the subject of a number of documentaries, most notably Asif Kapadia's Amy which was heavily criticised by Winehouse's father, Mitch.

Mitch Winehouse publicly spoke out about his depiction in the documentary and called it "misleading". He also wanted the film re-edited before it was released so that it would portray him in a better light.

A more recent documentary, aired by the BBC last year to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the singer's death also involved her family.

Reclaiming Amy featured interviews with Winehouse's parents as well as some of her closest friends as they attempted to address the impact of her death over the previous decade.