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'Ink Master' judge Oliver Peck leaving show after blackface photos emerge

In one photo, published by TMZ, the tattoo artist is wearing brown face paint, an Afro wig and a superhero costume with the letter "N" on it.
\"Ink Master\" Season 10 Finale
Judge Oliver Peck speaks onstage during the Ink Master Season 10 Finale in Las Vegas on April 19, 2018.Bryan Steffy / Getty Images for Paramount Network file

Oliver Peck announced on Instagram that he will no longer be a judge on "Ink Master" after photos emerged of him in blackface.

In a post on Tuesday, Peck said he and the producers of the show "have decided it's best to part ways."

"I want to thank the cast, crew, the contestants and all the awesome fans of the show," he wrote. "It's been a blast and I wish all my friends and colleagues the very best in what ever the future may hold!"

His departure comes nearly a week after TMZ published multiple photos of the tattoo artist, 47, in blackface. In some of the images, which the outlet reports were found on his old Myspace page, Peck is seen covering his body and face in brown paint.

Another picture shows him wearing brown face paint, an Afro wig and a superhero costume with the letter "N" on it. In a third image, Peck is dressed as a basketball player with his entire body covered in paint.

According to TMZ, it's unclear when the photos were taken.

In a statement on Instagram Friday, Peck apologized and called his behavior "inappropriate, insensitive and immature."

"I look at those photos and it's hard for me to believe that I could have been so clueless, insensitive and dumb. I hope that I've matured a great deal since then and I'm deeply sorry for everyone I've offended," he wrote. "I was 100% wrong to depict myself this way and I take full responsibility for my immature, misguided perspective, total lapse of judgment and insensitivity."

Paramount Network, the channel that airs "Ink Master," told NBC News in a statement Wednesday that it was appalled by the photos, but praised Peck for apologizing and "taking full responsibility for the damaging impact of his actions."

"Ink Master" is a reality show that follows tattoo artists competing in various challenges to ultimately win the season and the Ink Master title. The show is currently in its 13th season. Peck joined the show as a judge in 2012 when it premiered.