Cole Sprouse has apologized after uploading an Instagram post from his trip to Manila that was accused of “sensationalising poverty” in the Philippines.

The Riverdale actor has shared multiple images documenting his visit to the city, but came in for criticism when he shared an image of several children watching him in the street with the caption: "Well I'm not your parent, don't gotta follow me around."

'Let's get checking out Riverdale's KJ Apa playing a very illuminating round of Never Have I Ever...'

Fans immediately pointed out that the joke was in poor taste, with one person responding: "You shouldn’t post a photo of some innocent kid with her poor impoverished living conditions in the back and make a joke. A rich white privileged man going into a place he really doesn’t belong taking pictures and putting a caption like that..."

Cole promptly deleted the image from his profile and took to Instagram Stories to explain that it was never his intention to “poke fun” at poverty and to admit that he should have thought more carefully about his choice of words.

"For those of you that took offense to this photo or the caption, I removed it," he said."My apologies, and not my intention. Certainly not seeking to sensationalize poverty nor poke fun, shoulda have thought more about the words used, and the implications of those words I hadn't even considered."

Cole went on to add that he’ll continue to document his travels around Manila and vowed to “show all sides” of the city as and when he experiences them.