Voice actor Hank Azaria, who had portrayed Indian convenience store owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on The Simpsons since 1990, has apologised for participating in "structural racism".

"Part of me feels like I need to go around to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologise, and sometimes I do when it comes up," he said on Monday on podcast Armchair Expert.

The Emmy winner, who still voices other parts such as Moe Szyslak on the animated comedy which has been running since 1989, announced last February that he would no longer be playing Apu.

In the podcast, he also called for other animated series to make changes. "If it's an Indian character or a Latinx character or a black character, please let's have that person voice the character.

"It's more authentic, they'll bring their experience to it and let's not take jobs away from people who don't have enough."

Last September, Azaria, 56, was replaced as the voice of Homer Simpson's black workmate Carl Carlson.

Following that, in February, series regular Harry Shearer was replaced by African-American actor Kevin Michael Richardson as the voice of Dr Hibbert. Shearer continues to play iconic roles such as Mr Burns, Ned Flanders and Principal Skinner.

This was part of The Simpsons' move to stop having white cast members play characters from other ethnic backgrounds.

Azaria said he decided to step down from the role of Apu after watching 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu, which led to many calling him out.

"I got cancelled, however you want to put it, and really intensely."