Channel Ten has slammed claims The Sunday Project’s scoop interview with Serena Williams was held back for a week at the direction of a bra company.

The program’s Lisa Wilkinson sat down with Williams in New York for her first television interview since her controversial US Open final.

A teaser of the highly-anticipated interview was aired on Channel Ten on Sunday night, with viewers having to wait until next week to watch it in full.

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said that was because bra company Berlei wanted the interview to coincide with the launch of a new range of bras.

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Serena Williams (pictured) was interviewed by Channel Ten’s The Sunday Project in New York last week with a teaser of the interview aired on Sunday night

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said the reason the full interview was held back a week was because bra company Berlei wanted it to coincide with the launch of a new bra range. But Channel Ten said the interview was always planned to go ahead on September 23. Pictured, Serena Williams unveiling a new Berlei campaign in January 2017

Serena Williams has been a Berlei Sport ambassador since 2014. She is pictured here unveiling a new Berlei campaign in January 2017

‘Last night they did screen a teaser but the full extent of the interview won’t go to air until next Sunday night which from a news judgment point of view you would think that’s crazy,’ Ford said in an interview with radio station 3AW on Monday.

‘You’d want to get it to air as quickly as possible.

‘But the bra company Berlei said they don’t want this to go to air until the new range of bras hits the shelves.’

Williams, 36, has been a Berlei Sport ambassador since 2014 after discovering the bra company ‘during the Australian Open in 2006’.

But in a statement to Daily Mail Australia, a Network Ten spokesperson said the interview was not being held back at all.

‘Lisa Wilkinson’s interview with Serena Williams was always scheduled to air on The Sunday Project on Sunday September 23rd. It has not been held at all,’ the spokesperson said.

A Berlei Australia statement provided to Daily Mail Australia said the interview had been granted as part of a campaign to support Breast Cancer Awareness month.

‘Berlei Australia has worked with ambassador, Serena Williams for over a decade. Most recently, Berlei has been working with Serena Williams on a not-for-profit project, which she stars in for Breast Cancer Network Australia,’ the statement said.

The full exclusive interview will air on The Sunday Project next Sunday evening

‘The campaign for the I Touch Myself Project, has Serena Williams sharing a breast health message, encouraging women to self-examine and to support BCNA by purchasing a bra designed for the campaign, where 100 per cent of the profits will be donated to the Breast Cancer Network Australia.

‘The timing of the campaign, and therefore all pre-arranged interviews granted around the campaign, are to promote it in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and contrary to any suggestions otherwise has had nothing to do with any commercial considerations for Berlei.

‘The interviews were granted in good faith, to support the Breast Cancer Network Australia.’

Ford said he also believed the interview did not discuss the controversial Mark Knight cartoon of Williams which was published in The Herald Sun last week and branded as racist.

Ford said The Project was offered the chance to interview Williams prior to the US Open controversy and it went ahead last Tuesday.

In the interview, Williams remains adamant she did not receive coaching during the US open, despite her coach admitting otherwise.

The teaser also hints at a moment where Wilkinson asks Williams: ‘Do you regret that?’ in response to her US Open final

Patrick Mouratoglou (pictured during the finals match) controversially admitted to coaching Williams from the sideline, saying that it was not an uncommon occurrence in the game

The tennis legend maintained her belief that men and women should be treated equally in her first interview since the defeat.

Williams was critical of umpire Carlos Ramos after he penalised, claiming she communicated with coach Patrick Mouratoglou in the US Open final loss to Naomi Osaka.

Mouratoglou controversially admitted to coaching Williams from the sideline, saying that it was not an uncommon occurrence in the game.

But Williams argued otherwise in her sit-down interview for The Project.

‘He said he made a motion, I don’t understand what he was talking about,’ Williams told Wilkinson. We’ve never had signals.’

Williams also affirmed her argument that sportswomen should be treated the same as their male counterparts.

‘I just don’t understand. If you’re a female you should be able to do, even half, of what a guy can do,’ she said.

Williams was critical of umpire Carlos Ramos after he penalised her for communicating with her coach Patrick Mouratoglou in the US Open final loss to Naomi Osaka

The teaser also hints at a moment where Wilkinson asks Williams: ‘Do you regret that?’

Williams appears to hesitate at the question, replying only with an ‘um’.

She then looks away, clearly uncomfortable, as Wilkinson tries to comfort her.

‘I’m totally in your hands Serena, totally in your hands,’ she says.

Williams then takes a breath and says ‘um’ again before the scene cuts out in the teaser.

In the September 9 heated on-court debate, Williams said she was not a cheater and claimed there was a double-standard between the treatment of male and female athletes.

In a bid to win her 24th Grand Slam title, Williams fell to 20-year-old Osaka in straight sets.

In the September 9 heated on-court debate, Williams said she was not a cheater and claimed there was a double-standard between the treatment of male and female athletes

Williams said she felt bad as she watched the crowd’s reaction to Osaka’s shining moment, and even got up to the microphone and asked the crowd to stop booing

The day after, Williams said she was shocked to hear Mouratoglou admit to coaching.

A teaser for the interview suggests that Williams struggles to answer a question posed by Wilkinson.

The sportswoman is also expected to do something she has never done in front of the camera before.

The exclusive interview will air on The Sunday Project next Sunday evening.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Berlei for comment.