BEIJING - Singer Wang Leehom, who has been embroiled in an ugly divorce spat with his estranged wife Lee Jinglei in recent weeks, apologised on Monday (Dec 20), but his career in China may be over.

Even though he said he would be taking a temporary career break, China's Global Times, which is widely viewed as a mouthpiece of the government, has slammed him on Weibo.

The statement on Monday singled out the popular 45-year-old singer by name, saying: "Wang Leehom has announced that he is on a temporary hiatus from show business, but this may not be enough. Immoral artistes should be frozen out."

Wang had been accused of numerous improprieties by Lee, 35, including soliciting prostitutes and having affairs with both sexes, as well as gaslighting her and neglecting their three children. In the wake of the scandal, he had been dropped by at least four brands.

The entertainment industry in China has in recent months been rocked by scandals involving stars such as singer-actor Kris Wu and actress Vicki Zhao, and the government has been cracking down on what it deems to be undesirable influences on social media.

Without pointing at anyone else specifically, Global Times wrote that frequent moral and legal transgressions by celebrities have turned the entertainment industry into a "black hole of social morality".

It also addressed diehard fans of disgraced stars, who continue to support their idols and try to justify their actions.

It wrote: "If this anomaly is not corrected, more young people who could have a healthy and good life may be led astray."