Undercover TV reporter Donal MacIntyre and his wife have been beaten up by friends of a Chelsea football hooligan he exposed nine years ago.

Donal - who came runner-up in this year's Dancing on Ice - was set upon by four smartly-dressed men at the Cloud 9 wine bar in Hampton Court, Surrey on Wednesday

Wife Ameera De La Rose was also assaulted as she tried to help Donal, who was treated in hospital for the attack, which left him with a black eye and cuts to his face.

He told newspapers: "I've had kidnapping threats, been assaulted before, had my car trashed and I've had to move many times. I'll take those slings and arrows, but it crosses a line when my wife gets caught in the crossfire."

Donal infiltrated the vicious Chelsea Headhunters hooligan gang for his series MacIntyre Undercover in 2000, and covertly filmed them planning an attack.

Following Donal's expose, the gang's members Jason Marriner and Andy 'Nightmare' Frain were jailed for six and seven years respectively.

The attack happened shortly after Donal arrived at the wine bar when the four men were apparently heard yelling 'you grass, you snitch'.

Donal said: "They launched an assault by punching me. My wife tried to protect me when I was on the floor. They were trying to get me, missed me and then got her. She is extremely distressed."

"The attack on us clearly related to my investigation from 2000."

A witness from the bar added: "One guy specifically mentioned him turning over his mate Jason Marriner with sneaky tape recorders."

Police confirmed that a 48-year-old man from Addlestone, Surrey, had been arrested and quizzed on suspicion of assault. He was bailed pending further inquiries.

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