Gold Coast chairman Peter Beattie has apologised for the Closing Ceremony ©Getty Images

Gold Coast 2018 chairman Peter Beattie has apologised and admitted mistakes were made after television viewers of last night's Closing Ceremony were denied the chance to see the athletes parade into the Carrara Stadium.

Speaking on the Today show, Beattie took full responsibility for the error following criticism from the media and the Australian public.

The Athletes walked into the Stadium in the pre-show of the Ceremony and before the spectacle was broadcast live.

Seven Network, the Australian television rights holders for the Games, publicly aired their frustration at the athletes' parade - traditionally a core part of any Ceremony - not being broadcast.

Athletes who competed at the Commonwealth Games here walked into the stadium in the pre-show of the Ceremony and before the spectacle was broadcast live ©Getty Images
Athletes who competed at the Commonwealth Games here walked into the stadium in the pre-show of the Ceremony and before the spectacle was broadcast live ©Getty Images

"What we tried to do is look after the welfare of the athletes because they've got to stand somewhere before they go in the stadium, and we didn't want them standing in a field nearby for an hour," Beattie, a former Queensland Premier, said.

"We wanted to get them in early, and they came in as part of the pre-show but we made a serious error of judgement by not having them in the broadcast.

"In the end, we can go through the entrails of all this, but I'm chairman and the bucks tops with me. 

"I accept full responsibility for it.

"It was driven by the right reasons and concerns about the welfare of athletes, but they should have been involved."

Beattie also conceded there had been too many speakers during the Ceremony.

He was among those to speak along with Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Louise Martin and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, given the chance to address the crowd after organisers had refused to break protocol to allow her to do so at the Opening Ceremony on April 4.

"There were too many speeches, I shouldn't have spoken because it bored the athletes silly," added Beattie. 

"One less speech from me would have helped."

The amount of empty seats at the Closing Ceremony, which included an appearance from Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt and a handover segment from Birmingham 2022, was also criticised.

Beattie insisted the spectacle was 99.9 per cent sold out but there were visible numbers of empty seats across the stadium.

In a statement sent during the Ceremony, Gold Coast 2018 admitted it was not at full capacity but claimed there were over 30,000 people in the Stadium.