Alex Reid has claimed that he only hit Dane Bowers after the singer threatened to kill him.

The pair reportedly brawled at Katie price’s New Years Eve party and The News Of The World claim that Reid told a pal he only hit Bowers in self defence.

“I’m trying to play it down,” Reid reportedly said. “My elbow has hit him three times in the head. I worked his knees, too. I never get in fights, ever. I was like, ‘Come on, please, let’s go’ and he was lairing it up. He took my kindness as a weakness.”

He added: “He provoked me. I had him with my other hand and kept elbowing him. He’s lucky he’s not dead. I’d had a few drinks.”

Dane has responded to the claims by insisting that the attack was unprovoked and although he has refused to report Reid to the police, he has promised to reveal all in the Celebrity Big Brother house. Roll on launch night tonight!