Giuliana Rancic under fire for 'racist' slur at the Oscars

Giuliana Rancic has landed herself in hot water with a comment about R'n'B singer/actress Zendaya Coleman's dreadlocks at the Oscars.

During E!'s Fashion Police Academy Awards special, the outspoken host said Zendaya's hair looked like it smelled of "patchouli oil or weed" (see video above).

Horrified viewers took to social media to call Giuliana "racist and xenophobic", demanding an apology.

Zendaya, 18, slammed Giuliana in an open letter on Twitter, calling the comment "disrespectful" and "ignorant".

Giuliana, 40, briskly apologised after the letter went viral among Zendaya's five million Twitter followers.

"Dear @Zendaya, I'm sorry I offended you and others," she wrote. "I was referring to a bohemian chic look. Had NOTHING to do with race and NEVER would!!!"

Giuliana's co-host Kelly Osbourne stepped into the ring to break up the Fashion Police backlash.

"I WILL NOT BE DRAGED [sic] INTO THIS!" Kelly wrote. "The situation is being rectified like ADULTS by both parties. I hope you can leave it to them and do the same!

"You guys do realise that @Zendaya is my friend right?"

It looks like the Fashion Police didn't get away with this one...