Iain Lee was nearly arrested for road rage after threatening to ‘smash a van driver’s face in’ and then sobbed in the back of a police car, he revealed live on air.
Just hours after the altercation, Lee, 46, shared his moving story on his talkRADIO show The Late Night Alternative, admitting he had no idea what came over him.
He told listeners: ‘Who’s spent some time this evening in the back of a police car nearly being arrested? Me. I’m not proud, I’m laughing because I’m ashamed.
‘I was involved in an incident and the police were called. I was involved in road rage incident and police were called. I was being viewed as the guilty party.’
I’m a Celebrity star Iain Lee, 46 (above) told of his road rage drama on Friday’s talkRADIO show
The I’m a Celebrity star admitted that when police arrived, he was in floods of tears telling them ‘I don’t know what’s happening to me.’
Lee was with his co-host Katheryn Boyle on Friday when a van nearly hit the passenger door as he was trying to get out.
The presenter recalled: ‘I could see there was a van, so I opened the door as there was plenty of time and this van came firing around the corner really fast and nearly hit the car door.’
At this point, the van driver ‘went ballistic,’ according to Lee.
‘I was in the car and he’s going ‘you f***ing idiot you not seen me coming. People like you get on my f***ing nerves,’ he added.
Lee said he was ‘ashamed’ of his behaviour
‘So, then I got out of the car, that was the first of many, many mistakes. I’m not saying this with pride, I’m saying it with shame. He was really angry this guy so then I started doing the s**t that I do here. I’m going ‘dude, why you so angry man?’
After being accused by the van driver of ‘showing off’ and trying to pacify him for ‘about two minutes’ Lee revealed that tempers became heated with the ‘f and c words being thrown around.’
He recalled: ‘So, I said ‘I’ll smash your f***ing face in.’
The shocked radio presenter went on to admit: ‘What! I’ve not said anything like that since I was 12. I’ll smash your f****ing face in. He made the threat of violence to me first. At some point I should have said ‘OK. I’m out of here but suddenly something just went.
‘He tried to get out and I pushed the door shut. At this point I’m insane.’
Lee’s co-presenter Boyle revealed that she tried to intervene but was accused by the van driver of being aggressive.
Lee then called 999 as two eyewitnesses joined in the drama, blaming him for starting it and making threats of violence.
Lee conceded: ‘They were concerned citizens. I can’t knock them for that. I was very agitated, this guy (the van driver) was very agitated. I get it, tall, big guy shouting into a van. That’s all they heard, and they didn’t hear him.
‘The van driver then starts milking it and saying, ‘this guy’s been threatening me.’
Lee admitted at that point that he began to question his sanity, blaming his behaviour on his mental health.
‘I’ve had such a terrible day, in terms of anxiety, depression and fear. And I’m really worried about money. I was just in floods of tears. Then after about 15 minutes the police turn up. And I’ve never been in trouble with the police.
Lee (seen in 2018 while he was on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!) has told of his recent struggles with mental health and says his latest incident ended with him crying in a police car
The presenter announced that he was separating from his wife Helena two years ago and left the marital home worth £1.1 million that the couple shared with their two young sons
‘The knocked on the window and I just start crying even more and I’m saying ‘I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.’
Lee said he was then taken into the back of the police car but and continued to cry because he was so full of ‘shame.’
He said: ‘I’m just thinking, ‘oh my God, I’m gonna get arrested. I had to give them my details, they asked me if I’d been arrested before, I said no but I’m in tears.
‘I’m ashamed because I don’t know what’s happening. It was like as if I’d woken up from a blackout.
‘I’m going I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. They asked what happened and I told them my side of the story. The guy was threatening me, shouting at me.’
After informing Lee that he faced possible arrest and that the police had two eyewitnesses, one of the officers went to speak with the van driver, who said that he did not want to take the matter any further.
Lee was then allowed to leave and to present his show.
The controversial presenter has routinely hit the headlines over his self-confessed struggles with mental health.
Earlier this year, he appeared to have a breakdown live on air announcing that he planned to ‘quit’ his talkRadio show while repeating ‘it’s over, it’s over.’
He also revealed that he suffers from depression and manages it with medication and meditation.