Johnny Ball booed off stage in London

Ex-children's' TV host Johnny Ball was booed offstage during a talk in London about climate change on Tuesday night.

The former Think Of A Number presenter gave a speech denying that climate change was man-made at the Nine Lessons And Carols For Godless People event at the Bloomsbury Theatre.

Ball disputed considerable scientific research which suggests that burning fossil fuels has lead to a dangerous build-up of CO2 in the atmosphere.

The 71-year-old performed a song about John Dalton's atomic theory in the style of George Formby before claiming that CO2 levels were too negligible to cause warming. He also said that plants would absorb excess CO2 and alleged that natural emissions from insects and spiders were more damaging to climate change than fossil fuels.

Ball was jeered and given a slow hand clap by the audience at the event.

Speaking afterwards, the TV star said: "Having thought about it, it was a mistake. But we are depressing children by saying the world is coming to an end through climate change. This is simply wrong... I probably laboured the point a bit too much but the reaction of the audience did depress me."