Singer Marc Anthony has played down the controversy of an awkward moment on the TV talent show he films with ex-wife Jennifer Lopez, insisting it was just the work of "clever producers".

In an episode of Q'Viva! The Chosen, which aired on Saturday night, Lopez appears to upset her ex by calling him "a pig" for referring to two sexy dancers on the show as his "honeys".

The stars split last summer and both have since found love with new partners - but they remain friends and business accomplices on the show they helped create before the break-up.

But it appears there is some bad blood between them - as was evident during the taping of the most recent episode of Q'Viva!

After the awkward moment, Lopez appears to laugh off her remark - but an annoyed and unhappy Anthony seemed to be unhappy to move on.

But in an interview with news show Entertainment Tonight, he insists the TV moment wasn't quite as it appears.

He explains, "You have to realize that we filmed for months and so there is a lot of footage and you can cut things all kinds of ways... We have some clever producers... that have a great sense of humor."