Howard Stern: 'I was forced to sue SIRIUS XM'

Howard Stern has claimed that he was left with no other choice but to sue his current employers SIRIUS XM Radio to recoup unpaid stock options.

Earlier this week, the DJ filed suit against his bosses for failing to pay him stock options promised in his original five-year deal with the organisation.

While addressing his decision to sue the satellite radio company on The Howard Stern Show, Stern charged that SIRIUS XM put him in an unenviable and painful position.

"It's true that I am suing Sirius," he said. "I have never, ever gotten on the air and discussed my financial situation... I'm an honest guy who believes in fairness. I believe that I've been dealt with unfairly."

Stern has famously battled the FCC and media conglomerate Infinity Broadcasting Corporation over the course of his lengthy career, but he insists that his grievance with SIRIUS XM marks a new low.

The radio host explained: "It causes me great pain to sue the company I work for… Nevertheless, I had to do it. Suffice it to say, there's a dispute and I believe I haven't been given what is mine.

"There's obviously a disagreement here and it will be settled in a court... I have encountered things that are disturbing before [in my career], but never like this. It's a business argument and that's that."

In December 2010, Stern signed a new five-year contract with the satellite radio company and recently revealed that he plans to take on a less strenuous schedule in the coming months.

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