Robin's confession

The comic says he was provoked by the lies and ill-researched information ‘spat out’ by pundits Vanessa Feltz and Nick Ferrari, and Christian extremist Stephen Green.

His hackles rose in a debate over Christianity becoming removed from Christmas, in which the panellists quoted urban myths – including a scene from Love Actually – as truth.

Ince, who was invited to sit in the audience of the ITV1 programme London Talking, admits he couldn’t control his anger at what was being claimed.

Writing on Chortle today, Ince said: ‘I was chomping at the bit, when it came to me, I burst, puce in face and with bulging eyes.’

He told the panellists they were liars, and when Ferrari countered that Ince should have done his research, the comic was reduced to shouting out the facts like a ‘madman’.

‘I am just a crazed liberal shouting foolishly,’ he said. ‘I wish I hadn’t lost my temper, but when lies are so bare-faced, I couldn’t stop myself.’

Click here to read Ince’s side of the story in full.

London Talking airs in the capital region at 11.05pm tonight.

Meanwhile, Ricky Gervais engaged in a debate about theology with the Archbishop of Canterbury, yesterday, confessing he might have 'blown his image' by taking life seriously.

Gervais told Dr Rowan Williams he was concerned about 'brainwashing' of children who are sent to faith schools at an early age.

‘Because I believe in evolution, I believe that a child's brain is a sponge, and it is meant to be because it believes everything it is taught because it has to to survive,’ Gervais said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Simon Mayo show.

Gervais also told the Archbishop that God's 'biggest mistake' was giving him free will.

He also asked what the Archbishop was 'plugging' on the show, to which Mayo responded, 'Christmas'. Gervais added: 'Of course, I love Christmas, I say go for it. Brilliant.'

Here's Robin Ince talking about the Christmas story, and news in general:

Published: 20 Dec 2007