Blake Shelton apologizes for tweets, denies being hateful

Blake Shelton performs on NBC's 'Today' show at Rockefeller Plaza in New York on Aug. 5, 2016. (Charles Sykes / Invision)

NASHVILLE -- Country star Blake Shelton apologized on Twitter for offending people with his language, but denied being hateful after several old tweets referencing gays and non-English speakers surfaced online.

Screenshots of years-old tweets posted on his Twitter account, which he controls, prompted criticism online that "The Voice" judge was sexist to women and stereotyped gay people and non-English speakers.

Shelton posted a note Wednesday saying he has no tolerance for hate of any kind, but said that his humour could be at times "inappropriate and immature." A representative for Shelton did not immediately return an email seeking clarification and a Twitter spokesperson said they don't comment about individual accounts.

Gay rights organization GLAAD asked him in 2011 to apologize for a tweet they called a joke about anti-gay violence.