Video: Conrad Black calls Sky News's Adam Boulton 'a jackass'

In an earlier interview with the BBC's Jeremy Paxman, Black said: "I don't have any shame. I'm proud to having been in a US prison and surviving it as well as I did.

"I'm proud of having gone through the terribly difficult process of being falsely charged, falsely convicted, and ultimately almost completely vindicated, without losing my mind, becoming irrational, ceasing to be a penitent and reasonable person and actually being able to endure a discussion like this without getting up and smashing your face in."

Later Black caused a minor wave of Twitter hysteria when he told Sky's Adam Boulton to "stop behaving like a Jackass".

When questioned whether he was worried he would be made a 'figure of fun' on his upcoming appearance on HIGNY, Black replied: "We'll see who makes who a figure of fun.

"I normally don't do to badly exchanging acerbities."

Well, the scene is certainly set.