Fawcett's Family Receives Academy Apology

The Charlie's Angels star, who lost her battle with cancer last year (09), was not included in the annual In Memoriam list at the show, which honours stars who have died in the last 12 months.

The snub sparked outrage, with Fawcett's longtime lover Ryan O'Neal announcing plans to write a letter to Oscars bosses demanding an explanation, and his daughter Tatum O'Neal admitting she was "deeply saddened" by the move.

Bruce Davis, the executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, subsequently defended the decision to leave Fawcett out of the tribute, calling it the "single most troubling element of the Oscar show every year."

And now he has officially apologised for the snub. Davis says, "There's nothing you can say to people, particularly to family members, within a day or two of the show that helps at all. They tend to be surprised and hurt, and we understand that and we're sorry for it."