A FORMER doorman from Darlington who helped cabin crew deal with a drunken passenger in an air rage incident is to feature on a TV show this week.

Chef Simon Johnson was attacked by the inebriated Russian passenger - who had drunk a litre of duty-free whisky as well as in-flight drinks - on an 11-hour British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Bangkok earlier this year.

He was struck in the back by the man, and later needed spinal surgery for his injuries.

Mr Johnson, who is currently working in Bath, is returning to Darlington today ahead of his star turn on ITV's Tonight show, which is screened tomorrow, Thursday, evening at 7.30pm.

The show is on the theme of alcohol on planes and Mr Johnson's story will be one of the first shown, The Northern Echo understands.

He will be watching the show with friends and family in Darlington.

The 47-year-old was just an hour away from landing in Bangkok in January when the Russian passenger turned on him as they queued for the aeroplane toilet, at 35,000 feet.

As cabin crew struggled to detain the man, Mr Johnson helped them tackle the "out of control" man.

It took eight men and two women to finally get the drunk to sit down on his seat, where he was handcuffed to his seat. However, he also had to be held down until the plane landed.

At Bangkok, he claims armed Thai police boarded the plane, but would not arrest the intoxicated passenger until he was on the tarmac – meaning passengers and cabin crew had to get him off the plane.

And he said an empty bottle of whisky was found under the passenger's seat after they landed.

Mr Johnson said he was currently in the process of suing British Airways due to the back injury he had sustained, and it was in the hands of a solicitor.

The airline company offered him compensation and an upgrade to business class after he complained staff had not done more to control the passenger.