Chris Tarrant was swift to laugh off allegations yesterday that he assaulted a fellow diner by lobbing cutlery at him in an Indian restaurant. He described the incident as a “bit of horseplay”.

The presenter of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? faces a possible criminal charge after being arrested by four police officers in his Nottingham hotel room and held for up to two hours.

It is claimed that a man was cut on the arm when the 60-year-old television star, weary of the diner’s banter, threw a fork or spoon into the middle of his table at the city’s Memsaab Restaurant.

Mr Tarrant, whose career has been dogged recently by the break-up of his marriage and the kiss-and-tell revelations of a former girlfriend, went live on Sky News to dismiss the allegations. He said he was “completely and absolutely bemused and confused” by what he thought was a playful way of dealing with unwelcome attention.

The incident amounted to him “lobbing” cutlery on to the man’s table, he said. “That was the alleged assault. It is not actually a major deal. Yes, I lobbed something but I stress again we are talking ‘lobbed’ something. I just said: ‘Can I just have a break, mate?’ or whatever.

“That was the extent of it, which is probably why the police, I think, are not taking it very seriously.

“I was chatting to the guy after that. I came to his table, and we were talking about general stuff like Indian meals or whatever. That was it.”

Mr Tarrant was in Nottingham on Sunday to edit footage for a one-man show for charity which is due to be launched at the Variety Club in London. He and Tony Nicholson, the show’s producer, were the only customers in the restaurant apart from two other couples.

Whatever took place on the quiz show host’s return from the buffet table, Mr Tarrant was arrested at the four-star Park Plaza hotel and taken to the city’s Bridewell Custody suite.

A spokesperson for Notting-hamshire Police said: “Shortly after 10pm on Sunday a 999 call was made from a man claiming to have been injured following an incident with another diner at the Memsaab Restaurant in Maid Marian Way, Nottingham. Police officers attended and a short time afterwards a 60-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and taken into custody for questioning. The man has been bailed to a date in June pending further inquiries.”

Friends of Mr Tarrant were swift to give their version of events. One said that a couple followed Mr Tarrant and his party into the restaurant and sat two tables away. The man began engaging in banter about the quiz show’s catchphrases.

The friend said: “The guy keeps going on, so Chris drops his cutlery in the middle of the table as he was passing and went back to his own table.”

The friend said that later Mr Tarrant turned around to talk to the man and at one point joined them at the table. Mr Tarrant told friends that he later heard raised voices at the table and saw the man leave the restaurant. He assumed the couple had had a row. The man’s partner left soon after.

Naj Aziz, the restaurant owner, said: “Most of my staff are from Pakistan and would not even recognise Chris Tarrant. But none of them saw anything happen between any of the customers.”

The front man

1972 Christopher John Tarrant joined ATV in 1972

1974 He was presenting Tiswas

1982 Hired to front O.T.T.

1992 Tarrant on TV was launched

1997 He began presenting Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?

1987 Began his Capital Radio breakfast show

2004 Appointed OBE

Source: Times database

Times Recommends

• Sarah Brown says 'no thanks' to veal at G8 - twice
• Stockton-on-Tees is obesity capital of Britain
• Stores blame poor sales on Murray factor