'Ink Master' star Oliver Peck leaves show after blackface photo scandal
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Ink Master" star Oliver Peck is leaving the show after photos of him in blackface surfaced.
The television star released a statement confirming his departure late Tuesday.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"After filming 13 great seasons of Ink Master, the producers and I have decided it's best to part ways," Peck said. "I want to thank the cast, crew, the contestants and all the awesome fans of the show. It's been a blast and I wish all my friends and colleagues the very best in what ever the future may hold!"
Host Dave Navarro flanked by judges Oliver Peck (L) and Chris Nunez (R) onstage during "Ink Master" Season 8 Live Finale at at Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom on Dec. 6, 2016. (Brad Barket/Getty Images for Spike)
"It's been a good ride...thanks again to all involved," Peck added in an Instagram caption.
The Paramount Network also provided a statement to Fox News following Peck's exit, stressing that the blackface photos that surfaced of him were shocking.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We, like many others, were appalled when we saw the photos of Oliver. We were glad to see his apology and accept that he is taking full responsibility for the damaging impact of his actions.”
The series of controversial photos that surfaced showed the tattoo star applying brown makeup to his face, neck and chest. One set of photos shows him dressed up as a superhero and others show him wearing the makeup while dressed as a basketball player.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TMZ first reported that the photos were taken from Peck's old MySpace page. The photos appeared to be taken on Halloween, the outlet said, but no date was shared.
"I want to profusely apologize for my completely inappropriate, insensitive, and immature behavior. I look at those photos and it's hard for me to believe that I could have been so clueless, insensitive and dumb," Peck wrote earlier this week in a social media post.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}His apology continued: "I hope that I've matured a great deal since then and I'm deeply sorry for everyone I've offended. I was 100% wrong to depict myself this way and I take full responsibility for my immature, misguided perspective, total lapse of judgment and insensitivity. Those of you that know me know my heart, and I am grateful to my friends, family, colleagues, clients and fans who have allowed me to apologize and learn from this mistake. I can only hope that those of you that I don't know and anyone I have offended, can also find it in your hearts to accept my sincere apology."