Embattled Don Lemon Escapes To Miami After Ditching 'CNN This Morning' Following Backlash Over 'Sexist' Remarks

Don Lemon was MIA from CNN This Morning hours after sparking fury with his suggestion that Nikki Haley is not "in her prime." Turns out, he ventured to Miami.

RadarOnline.com has learned that Lemon briefly phoned in for a 9 AM editorial call on Friday, during which he apologized for his remarks made the day before.

"I'm sorry I don't mean to hurt anyone. I did not mean to offend anyone. What I said came out wrong and I wish I hadn't said it," Lemon admitted on the call.

The journalist ignited a media firestorm while discussing Haley's suggestion that politicians 75 and older should face mental competency tests.

Lemon caused a stir when he said live on air that Haley, a 51-year-old Republican presidential candidate, "isn't in her prime."

"A woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s," he explained, garnering shocked looks from co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins.

"Don't shoot the messenger," Lemon continued. "I'm just saying what the facts are. Google it."

He had the next day off following the backlash while Audie Cornish stepped in on his behalf, later expressing his regret on the work call.

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"I believe women of any age can do anything they set their minds to. The people I am closest to in this organization are women. When I make a mistake. I own it and I own this one as well. I understand why you are upset and disappointed," Lemon said.

"I was trying to make the point that no one's age should define their ambition or potential for success and I was saying those comments to Nikki Haley. I'm going to continue to be who I am," the TV personality continued.

Lemon echoed those statements in a previous tweet apologizing to the public for his "inartful and irrelevant" commentary on Haley's age, adding that it does "not define her either personally or professionally" and he knows many who prove that to be true.

New boss Chris Licht, for his part, made it clear he was not pleased by the ordeal, calling Lemon's remarks "upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization."

CNN employees were equally as upset, allegedly calling Lemon "tone-deaf" after the call amid mounting pressure for Lemon to be axed from the network after recent gaffes.