Oprah reveals she regrets asking Sally Field an awkward question about Burt Reynolds

Oprah says a question she asked actress Sally Field was a big mistake. Photo / Getty Images

Oprah Winfrey has recalled the "big mistake" she made while interviewing Sally Field.

Early in her career, she was urged by bosses to ask the actress an awkward question about her co-star Burt Reynolds, whom she starred with in the likes of Smokey and the Bandit - while she also dated the late big-screen icon for a number of years.

Appearing on Rob Lowe's Literally podcast, she said: "My big mistake: I asked her, 'Does Burt sleep with his toupee on?'

"I even say now, I cringe to even think that I asked that question. But I asked it because the producers are like, 'You have to ask, you have to ask, you have to ask. That's what everybody wants to know.'

"And so I asked it, and she went cold on me. She shut down, and I could not get in again."

Oprah asked Sally Field if Burt Reynolds, left, sleeps with his toupee on. Photo / Getty Images

Now, Oprah - who has gone onto become one of the biggest names in television with a great reputation for her interviews - admitted she shouldn't have followed that line of questioning, and she "deserved" to be shut down during their chat.

She added: "It was like, 'Whoa, Sally went cold on me on live TV'.

"I deserved it, I deserved it, I deserved it, 'cause that is such an inappropriate question."

Lowe - who worked with Field on Brothers & Sisters - reflected on his own experiences alongside the 74-year-old actress.

He joked: "She's one of the most amazing actors I've ever known, but when Sally goes cold, it's like Khrushchev in the Cold War. She will bury you."

Oprah, 67, has opened up about the embarrassing incident in the past, and back in 2005 she described the experience as "awful".

She said at the time: "Sally Field used to date Burt Reynolds and I asked this awful question. It was a bad question. I wouldn't do it today."