An award-winning German ballet director apparently unhappy with his reviews ⁠— is now apologizing after he smeared dog feces on a newspaper critic.

Marco Goecke was apparently furious about a review of one of his shows by journalist Wiebke Hüster who told the BBC she was in “shock” after what she described as a “brutal” attack.

Goecke was suspended from his post as ballet chief at the Hannover state opera following the weekend incident. The theater’s management demanded he say sorry and explain himself.

In a statement, Goecke said he wants to “apologize sincerely” to all concerned, particularly the critic and that in retrospect, it was disgraceful act in the heat of the moment and an overreaction.

Goecke has been the director at the Hanover Theatre since 2019 and won the 2022 German Dance prize.