FEAR FACTOR EPISODE PROMPTS LAWSUIT AGAINST NBC

American TV network NBC is being sued by a man who claims he suffered distress watching contestants on hit show FEAR FACTOR eat rats.

AUSTIN AITKEN, from Cleveland, Ohio, is demanding $2.5 million (GBP1.3 million) from the network.

In a handwritten four-page lawsuit filed in federal court on Tuesday (04JAN05), paralegal Aitken says, "To have the individuals on the show eat... and drink dead rats was crazy and from a viewer's point of view made me throw-up as well an another in the house at the same time."

A spokesman for Fear Factor says there will be no comment until producers have seen a copy of the complaint.