CNN apologizes after mistakenly airing image of Dolly Parton impersonator during report on icon’s passing

CNN offered a mea culpa after the network mistakenly aired a photo of a Dolly Parton impersonator during its coverage of the passing of the American icon.

Parton died Tuesday at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Her death sent shockwaves around the world, with millions paying tribute to the country music legend.

On Tuesday’s installment of “Laura Coates Live,” a montage of photos appeared onscreen as CNN correspondent Shimon Prokupecz was reporting live from Nashville.

DOLLY PARTON DEAD AT 80

CNN mistakenly aired an image of a Dolly Parton impersonator during its coverage of the passing of the country music icon. (Screenshot/CNN)

However, among them was an image of Patron tribute artist Kelly Vohnn, seen attending a screening last year of “Song Sung Blue,” a film about the real-life Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.

“We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family,” a CNN spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

DOLLY PARTON DIES AT THE AGE OF 80: A LOOK AT HER LIFE THROUGH PHOTOS

Dolly Parton passed away peacefully on Tuesday at 80. (Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage)

Vohnn spoke with The New York Post about how her phone began blowing up after her image appeared on CNN, calling the experience “weird.”

“I started getting all these texts in from friends saying that I was on CNN, and I couldn’t believe it,” the Canadian-born impersonator told The Post. “I felt so sorry and apologetic for Dolly… and CNN just picked something not appropriate.”

DOLLY PARTON’S LIFE IN HER OWN WORDS: FROM SMOKY MOUNTAINS POVERTY TO COUNTRY MUSIC IMMORTALITY

Dolly Parton impersonator Kelly Vohnn knocked CNN for accidentally airing a photo of her during the network’s coverage of Parton’s passing. (Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for Focus Features)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“It was quite embarrassing, to be honest,” Vohnn said about the network’s mistake.