Broadcaster and high-profile cycle commuter Jeremy Vine is suing Joey Barton for libel after the former footballer called him a "bike nonce" on social media.

The BBC Radio 2 host has filed a libel claim placing Joey Barton, football pundit and former Manchester City, QPR, and Newcastle United player, as the defendant in the case.

The libel accusation is in response to a series of social media posts by Mr Barton, targeted at Jeremy Vine.

This Is Local London: The broadcaster has filed a libel claimThe broadcaster has filed a libel claim (Image: PA)

Mr Vine's legal action comes after Mr Barton posted an online message that included an image of Mr Vine and the disgraced TV presenter Rolf Harris, with the accompanying comment: "Oh Jeremy Vine.

"Did you, Rolf-aroo and Schofield go out on a tandem bike ride?

"You big bike nonce ya!"

The next day, Joey Barton retweeted another post, labelling the broadcaster as a "bike nonce" and adding: "If you see this fella by a primary school call 999."

Jeremy Vine regularly cycles to his work in Camden, often capturing videos of near-misses and good and bad driving filmed through a Go-Pro attached to his helmet.

Mr Barton, former manager of Bristol Rovers, acknowledged the libel case publicly on social media, sharing images of what seemed to be legal paperwork and stating: "So @theJeremyVine is suing me… Fella who served me the papers was sound."

This Is Local London: This is not Joey Barton's first libel case over social media commentsThis is not Joey Barton's first libel case over social media comments (Image: PA)

The documents submitted to the High Court also confirmed that Jeremy Vine had engaged the services of Samuels Solicitors.

This is not Joey Barton's first libel case due to his social media comments - he is currently facing another lawsuit from TV presenter and ex-footballer Eni Aluko.

This was after Mr Barton made a series of social media posts attacking her and her family.

Eni Aluko responded to this on Instagram, saying: "Joey Barton recently published a Post on X which made untrue, inaccurate and defamatory allegations about me and my family.

"It is particularly harmful that Mr Barton involved my family in that post, suggesting my late father, a distinguished Nigerian senator, was in receipt of 'dodgy money' and that I had benefitted from his corruption."