Dan Roan has reportedly been taken off air following his comments about late Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
The BBC’s sport editor has been absent from the corporation’s coverage since his “ill-judged” comments emerged on Monday.
Mr Roan apologised after a live Sky News feed caught him having a conversation in which he mocked Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s marriage.
When approached by the Standard, the BBC said: “We're not commenting further than what we have said so far which is: ‘This was an ill judged comment made in a private off-air conversation for which Dan has apologised.’”
The journalist was speaking at the scene where the pair and three others had died outside the club’s stadium.
Mr Roan was overheard saying: "The mistress who died in the crash…otherwise known as a member of staff…i.e. mistress.
“If you were a billionaire, it’s relatively expected, so we shouldn’t judge.”
In an apology, Mr Roan tweeted: “Just want to say sorry for some comments made in a private, off-air conversation earlier with a colleague. Absolutely no offence intended."
Meanwhile, 629 people have signed a petition calling for Mr Roan to be sacked.
Ashley Cowley, who launched the petition, wrote: “Dan Roan should be removed from his role within the BBC.
“Dan Roan has made insensitive comments about the Leicester City chairman after the terrible helicopter crash on October 27 and the BBC have to act.
“Just remember the BBC is funded by the UK population paying for their TV Licence.”
The four other victims in the crash were employees Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz, who was also a professional pilot.
