'Kyle' attacker complains about producers

The man at the centre of the Jeremy Kyle controversy has advised members of the public to avoid the show.

David Staniforth, 45, headbutted his former lodger Larry Mahoney in front of the show's studio audience, after discovering that Mahoney had been having an affair with his wife Jenny.

While sentencing David for assault earlier this week, Judge Alan Berg condemned the Jeremy Kyle producers for encouraging aggressive behaviour, and described the show as "a human form of bear baiting".

"My advice is don't air your problems to the nation on a gutter TV show," Steniforth told the Daily Star Sunday. "I'm talking from bitter experience. I didn't want to go on the show in the first place but they wouldn't take no for an answer and put me under tremendous pressure. I was set up, simple as that.

"I had not seen my wife since she walked out in February and I thought going on the show might rescue my marriage. I was told by a producer that Jenny was considering a reconciliation. I did not want to wash our dirty linen in public but I desperately wanted my wife back."

Steniforth has also expressed his anger at the way Kyle treated him, and accused the TV host of being partly responsible for his attack.

"I know there is no excuse for headbutting Larry but I had been well wound up by Jeremy Kyle by the time Larry walked on," David explained. "Jeremy pretended to be on my side and made out he was sympathetic but when Jenny came on she was like a viper towards me and Jeremy joined in the attack."