Tarrant denies assault with a spoon

Who Wants to be a Millionaire? presenter Chris Tarrant has been arrested and bailed over a cutlery "lobbing" incident with a fellow diner in an Indian restaurant.

The 60-year-old veteran TV and radio personality has admitted he is "bewildered" by the events resulting from an incident in a restaurant, where he was being "ribbed" non-stop by an over-enthusiastic fan on another table.

After flipping, Tarrant said he lobbed a spoon at the offending man as a joke, but soon after he returned to his hotel he was arrested on suspicion of assault.

Tarrant said: "I'm just bewildered. I don't know what his motives are. It's part and parcel of the whole thing about being a celebrity and being famous."

He added that when the police turned up at his hotel, he thought it was a wind up.

He said: "Two were in flak jackets. I thought it was a spoof and Jeremy Beadle was going to come out."

The man reportedly called 999 and claimed Tarrant's cutlery had cut his arm. After waiting at the police station until the early hours of the morning, the TV presenter was allowed to leave and must return next month to see if he is being charged.

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