Justin Bieber has apologised for an "insensitive" April Fools' joke claiming that his wife Hailey Baldwin was pregnant.
The pop star tricked fans into thinking he was about to become a father by sharing an ultrasound with his 107 million Instagram followers.
Bieber, 25, also posted pictures of his 22-year-old partner undergoing a medical exam, further fuelling the idea she was having a baby.
He later came clean and admitted it was a hoax but was criticised on social media, with critics claiming women who struggle to conceive could find the joke hurtful.
Bieber issued a lengthy message on Tuesday, apologising but saying "With pranks u sometimes have to roll that dice".
He said: "There's always gonna be people offended, there's also people who don't take jokes very well, I am a prankster and it was APRIL FOOLS. I didn't at all mean to be insensitive to people who can't have children."
Bieber said many people he knows use the pregnancy joke on April Fools' but "I will apologise anyway and take responsibility and say sorry to people who were offended".
He added: "I truly don't want anyone to be hurt by a prank.. it's like when I shoved cake in my little sisters face for her birthday expecting her to laugh but she cried.
"You sometimes just don't know what will hurt someone's feelings not to compare pregnancy with cake in the face but it's just to paint the picture of not knowing what will offend.
"Some might have laughed but some were offended .. I think With pranks u sometimes have to roll that dice. #prankster #dennisthemenace #sorry #truly."
It comes after fans struggled to understand why he would pull the prank as they opened up about personal struggles with fertility, branding his post “disgusting” and a “classless act”.
One user commented: “These jokes aren’t funny... do you understand how many families have to deal with infertility and loss of pregnancy? Shame on you.”
Another wrote: “Honestly people would die to become parents, I hate the ‘I’m pregnant’ April Fools. Let’s hope you and your wife aren’t infertile so you don’t feel the heartbreak of not being able to carry your own child. Just coming from a place of experience.”
A third posted: “And when I thought I couldn’t hate you more. Congrats on being a piece of s***. Faking a pregnancy announcement is not funny. Some women can’t get pregnant.”
Canadian Bieber first caught the eye singing on YouTube before becoming one of the world's biggest pop stars thanks to hits including Baby, Sorry and Love Yourself.
He first sparked pregnancy rumours last month when he wrote on Instagram that he was "focused on repairing some very deep rooted issues" so he could become "the father I want to be".
Reporting by PA
