Top six outrageous on-air fights broadcasted on Arab TV

Appearing on live television can be a nerve-wracking experience – having to speak with the pressure of knowing that anything you say or do could end up on YouTube the next day for the world to laugh at over and over again.

In a region such as the Middle East, well-known for its deep-seeded political tensions and macho temperaments, it's not surprising that conflicting personalities often end up in on-air dust-ups.

Here are six of the most infamous incidents of middle-aged men, usually politicians or TV personalities, trying out their questionable martial arts skills in the Arab world.

This week, tensions boiled over between two Egyptian football anchors after one accused the other of lying and then spoke over him, while he was talking about his wife and kids – a taboo subject for hot-heads around the globe.

Ahmad Shobeir, once the goalkeeper for the Egyptian team, let his emotions get the best of him and hurled his glass of water at fellow football presenter Ahmad al-Tayyeb while screaming: "WHEN I TALK ABOUT MY WIFE AND KIDS, YOU LISTEN TO ME!"

Unfortunately, the producers were quick to cut to an ad break, just as Shobeir began to tussle with his colleague – both men have been banned from appearing on-air for a week.

In second place, this classic profanity-laced slapping match took place between Lebanese politician Joseph Abou Fadel and Syrian opposition writer Muhyiddin Lazikani in 2012.

Abou Fadel, a staunch supporter of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad, appears to reach into his pocket for something before he goes after his equally bald opponent, pushing out him of view of the camera, however, the microphones manage to pick up a string of colourful Arabic words being tossed back and forth.

In another brawl fuelled by sympathies towards the Syrian regime, the chief of the Jordanian Electronic Press Association and a journalist went head to head, leaving the poor wooden desk separating them the main victim of the elderly gentlemen's frustrations.

"You started it, you started it!," the reporters shout at one another as they play tug-of-war with the channels shoddily constructed bureau – one man even gets a small kick in on his opponent, showing the world his rusty kickboxing technique.

Arriving back in Egypt, once again polite political discussion about the country's dissolved National Democratic Party turned into a paper ball and chairing throwing contest.

"I WILL BEAT YOU WITH MY SHOE YOU RUDE B******!" one man threatens before wielding his chair as a weapon.

After being broken up by TV staff they resort to hurling scrunched up balls of paper at each other in a true show of schoolboy rage.

Another squabble comes from Jordanian television, where the war in Syria once again stirred up strong emotions between two viral politicians.

Mohammad Tamimi and Baath party member Mahmoud al-Bustanji grappled it out with one another in defiantly the most hands on bout on this list.

"You are a wretched agent of an a********," were the fighting words in this confrontation, which left producers scrambling to separate the two furious politicos.