Springer: My show has its niche

Jerry Springer has said he is surprised that his show is still on air in the US after 22 years - but reckons it stays popular because it is so outrageous.

The British-born TV star - who moved to New York when he was five - is one of the most familiar faces on the small screen thanks to his controversial talk show The Jerry Springer Show.

Jerry said that despite covering some risque subject matter the reaction he gets is usually positive.

He said: "In America, I'm sometimes on TV twice a day, and you would think that because the show is controversial, there would be people who would be mean or say nasty things, but never - and I don't mean occasionally - I mean never."

Talking about his show's enduring popularity, Jerry said: "It's in its 22nd year now and television shows don't usually last that long.

"So, yes, I'm surprised, but I understand why, because it has a niche - it's so crazy, so outrageous. But we're accepted now because we were the first to do this format.

"I think the show could go on forever because there will always be people considered to be outrageous."

Jerry, who also presents US TV show Baggage as well as working on the national tour of America's Got Talent, said he isn't really shocked by the subject matter of his talk show: "You can't be a grown-up in today's world and be surprised by any subject we see on our show.

"You would be surprised if it happened to somebody you know. But there is no story I could tell you about that you could honestly say, 'I didn't know that existed, I never heard about that'. All you have to do is open any newspaper in the world. There's no show we could make that could be more shocking than your own headlines here."

:: The Jerry Springer Show appears every weeknight at midnight on CBS Reality.