Kanye West 'ashamed' over outburst

Kanye West says he is "ashamed" that he "stepped all over" Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The rapper ran onto the stage during the Love Story singer's Best Female Video acceptance speech, snatched her microphone and told her that Beyonce Knowles deserved to win on Sunday night.

While Taylor stood in shock, Kanye stormed out of New York's Radio City Music Hall as the star-studded audience booed.

Kanye is now overcome with remorse, and has posted an apology on his blog and told US talk show host Jay Leno he regrets his actions.

The 32-year-old star said: "It's been extremely difficult. Just dealing with the fact that I hurt someone or took anything away, you know, from a talented artist or from anyone, because I only want to help people.

"My entire life, I've only wanted to give and do something that I felt was right. And I immediately knew in the situation that it was wrong, it's actually someone's emotions, you know, that I stepped on."

Kanye claimed he knew he was doing the wrong thing when he handed the microphone back to Taylor and she just stared at the ground with tears in her eyes.

He added: "It was very rude, period. And, you know, I'd like to be able to apologise to her in person. I'm just ashamed that my hurt caused someone else's hurt."

Kanye also posted a second written apology on his blog, which read: "I feel like Ben Stiller in 'Meet the Parents' when he messed up everything and Robert De Niro asked him to leave.

"That was Taylor's moment and I had no right in anyway to take it from her. I am truly sorry."

He also revealed 19-year-old Taylor's mother Andrea Swift "tore into him" backstage, demanding he apologise to her daughter.

Kanye wrote: "Taylor's mother said the same thing my mother would have said."

Awards show host Russell Brand has defended Kanye, but admits his actions were out of line.

He told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show: "I know Kanye, and I know he's a nice guy. We all make mistakes in life. We're all people, these things are a bit silly, no one died.

"But Taylor Swift's a young kid, isn't she? You can't make a pretty girl cry."

- BANG! SHOWBIZ