Berlusconi's TV friend gets punched in restaurant brawl

London, Nov 26 (ANI): One of Silvio Berlusconi's closest aides was pummelled in one of the city's top restaurants.

Emilio Fede, the news director on Mediaset 4, a television channel that is ultimately owned by the Prime Minister was punched in the posh eatery, and after lamented that no one came to his aid - raising laughter from the veteran broadcaster's many critics.

Fede, nicknamed Fido, was punched several times in the VIP favourite La Risacca 6 on Tuesday night.

After the incident, Fede told journalists that he had reported his attacker, said to be a businessman in his seventies, to the authorities for "serious injuries and death threats", reports the Independent.

"I was attacked in the La Risacca 6 restaurant in Milan and I have absolutely no idea why," he said.

"I received punches in the head and the face."

Diners present during the incident gave a different version of events, however.

"Mr Fede was dining with some people. One of them got up and started chatting with a businessman who knew Fede very well," one diner told Corriere della Sera.

"When the director of Tg4 approached the other table he started to raise his voice and the businessman got up and gave him a thump." (ANI)