In an emotional on-air apology, The Project co-host Carrie Bickmore says she’s been “absolutely gutted” by accusations that she tried to derail an annual AFL fundraiser.

Promoting her own charity, Beanies 4 Brain Cancer, on Monday night’s show, Bickmore copped the wrath of viewers who questioned the timing of her beanie appeal on the same day as the annual Big Freeze at the MCG charity event for motor neurone disease (MND).

On the verge of tears and with her voice quivering, Bickmore told viewers the clash was “honestly completely unintentional”.

“We were due to launch our beanies a couple of weeks ago but they didn’t arrive in time so we had to push it back a few weeks and in the business of making it all happen and keeping our supporters happy, we didn’t take note of the fact the new date then clashed with Neale’s ‘Freeze at the G’.

“We just wanted to finally get the beanies out to everyone and of course now I wish I had waited another few days.”

Both campaigns involve the sale of beanies to raise money and awareness for their respective charities.

Watch Carrie Bickmore’s apology below:

The Gold Logie winner said she had also spoken to the man behind the Big Freeze, former Melbourne Demons coach and Essendon Bombers champion Neale Daniher, who has described the controversy as a “storm in a teacup”.

“They [FightMND] had an incredibly successful campaign [on Monday] which is great news,” she said.

“We both pour our heart and souls into these campaigns and I have been absolutely gutted that anyone would think I would try and derail someone else’s lifesaving work. I just wouldn’t.

“It doesn’t benefit us in any way to do that. I am just bummed that this is what is being talked about.”

Carrie Bickmore wore a blue beanie for brain cancer awareness during her Gold Logie acceptance speech in 2015.

Her apology was met with cheers and a thunderous applause from the live studio audience.

Bickmore’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer is a cause she holds close to her heart, after her husband Greg Lange died from brain cancer at the age of 34 in 2010.

He gradually lost his mobility and his independence, living with the disease for close to a decade before passing away.

“Today we should be celebrating the fact that Australia is an incredibly generous country with the most wonderful souls who want to see an end to all forms of brain disease as much as we do,” she said.

“We are all in this together … Thanks for all your support to both foundations.”

Bickmore has already sold out of adult beanies and has just a few kids beanies remaining, with plans to order more within eight weeks.

What is the Big Freeze at the ‘G?

The Big Freeze is a fundraiser by FightMND which sees several well-known Australian sportspeople and personalities slide into a giant ice pool in the spirit of charity.

The event takes place each year before the Queen’s Birthday AFL match between Melbourne and Collingwood at the MCG.

Fans can purchase and wear an iconic blue beanie at the game.

Daniher, who was diagnosed with MND in 2013 and has since been a prominent campaigner for medical research, told KIIS FM on Tuesday he had in fact not known about the Bickmore backlash until he read the media reports.

“Poor Carrie, she was mortified and thought we’d be offended but that couldn’t be further from the truth … We wish Carrie and her foundation all the best,” Daniher said.

“We’re just Australians helping other Australians through funding research – in her case for brain cancer and in my case for MND.”