The boss of an Australian subscription television company has sparked outrage after referring to Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke as a ‘short and dumpy girl’.

Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany made the controversial comments on Tuesday during a speech at the Sydney premiere of HBO’s highly-anticipated series House of the Dragon.

Delany told the audience he was behind the eight-ball when it came to watching the monumentally popular drama Game of Thrones, in which Clarke stars as Daenerys Targaryen.

‘I was like, ‘What’s this show with the short, dumpy girl walking into the fire?” he said according to Crikey while recalling the famous scene in season one where Daenerys steps inside a burning temple.

‘There was a bit of a gasp’ according to an attendee after Delany made the comment while another said the crowd was ‘obviously shocked’.

Foxtel, owned by News Corp, has since issued a grovelling apology on behalf of Delany, who has been CEO and one of the company’s top executives since January 2018.

‘The aim was to convey that for him, Games of Thrones was something very different for television in 2011 and that Emilia Clarke went from relatively unknown to one of the most recognised and most-loved actors in television and film,’ a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

‘On behalf of Mr Delany, the Foxtel Group apologises if his remarks were misunderstood and caused any offence.’

House of the Dragon focuses on House Targaryen and their reign in Westeros.

Emilia will not be reprising her role as Daenerys in the ten-part series as it is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones.

Joining the cast is Packed To The Rafters star Ryan Corr and fellow Australian actor Milly Alcock.

The show also stars Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Oliva Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower.