Northamptonshire shock jock Jon Gaunt has begun legal action against TalkSport after the radio station sacked him.

The controversial radio presenter and national newspaper columnist – known to fans as Gaunty – was given the boot in November for branding a guest a 'Nazi' live on air.

In a message on his personal website, Mr Gaunt said his efforts to make peace with his former bosses had been ignored.

"I have tried to offer an olive branch to TalkSport chief executive Scott Taunton but he has declined my overtures," said the 47 year-old, who lives in the south of the county.

"He claims he will not reinstate me despite the tens of thousands of e-mails that you have sent in. Therefore he has left me with no choice but to take legal action and that has now started."

Mr Gaunt was originally suspended by TalkSport after he accused Redbridge councillor Michael Stark of being a Nazi during a heated debate about local authority plans to ban smokers from becoming foster parents.

He later apologised on air, claiming he meant to say "health Nazi".

He also tried to explain his remarks by saying he was passionate about the subject because his aunt, who had rescued him from care as a child, was a smoker and therefore would have been unable to take him in under the new rules.

But TalkSport sacked Mr Gaunt – who boasted the biggest ever listening figures for the station's weekday morning show – later in November following an investigation.

He said: "People keep asking me how many complaints there were about the interview with Councillor Stark and I can now tell you that according to Ofcom's own website there were only 16."

Mr Gaunt also promised fans that he would be back on the radio soon.