Claridge, from Fareham, appeared at Coventry Crown Court to deny a charge of dangerous driving on the M42.

The 42-year-old was pulled over by an unmarked police car after repeatedly undertaking other vehicles on the road, the court heard.

Nigel Wilkins, prosecuting, said the football pundit drove at high speed on wet roads, repeatedly switching lanes and causing other drivers to 'brake sharply in order to let him in'.

PC Geoff Bell, one of the two officers to pull Claridge over, told the court it was raining and visibility was poor at the time, about 6.40pm on December 30, 2006. He said: 'Conditions were fairly treacherous, the roads were wet and there were quite a lot of puddles.'

He saw Claridge coming up behind him and was concerned about his speed – guessing it to be about 100mph. Claridge was pulled over and he got out of his car.

PC Keith Dyson, who was also at the scene, said: 'As I started speaking to him he started jumping up and down on the hard shoulder, holding his crotch and acting like a child desperate to go to the toilet.

'He indicated that he was desperate for the toilet and was trying to find the services.'

He added: 'He continued to jump up and down in what I deemed to be an embarrassing action.'

The officer eventually allowed him to go down a grass embankment to relieve himself.

Giving evidence, Claridge denied he had driven at 100mph, saying he went no faster than 70mph.

He added: 'It wasn't the best bit of driving I have ever done but it wasn't dangerous.

'My intention was to get off (the road) because I wanted to go to the toilet. It was reasonably sudden. There were services ahead so I pulled into the middle lane.'

He admitted overtaking two cars on the nearside while in the middle lane but said he was 'stunned' when police told him he could be prosecuted.

Claridge, who was driving home from a scouting trip to Blackpool, estimated he had drunk 'five or six small bottles' of water during the day. He said he drove an average of 75,000 miles a year.

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