Uri Geller claims he was a CIA spy and helped end Cold War – Daily TV round-up

TV psychic Uri Geller claims that he was a spy for the CIA and that he helped to end the Cold War.

In a show to be broadcast on BBC2 on Sunday night, called 'The Secret Life of Uri Geller', he reveals that he was also a spy for Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.

The claims are among a number of revelations from Geller, famed for his ability to bend spoons and for being a close friend of Michael Jackson.

Geller says that in his capacity as a spy he wiped KGB computer discs using his psychic abilities and helped to change the mind of a nuclear weapons negotiator working for the Soviets.

In the film, made by documentary maker Vikram Jayanti, a former CIA agent and a former NASA astronaut both back up claims that he was active in the intelligence world.

“In the last 40 years I dropped hints that I did this and that but it has never come out clearly before.

“For 40 years I have been immensely controversial but the main controversy was whether I was real or not. Is it magic or supernatural powers I have?” he told The Sun.

“But for me the controversy was an inbuilt safety device, a camouflage covering the dark, cloak-and-dagger secret missions I engaged in.

[UK stars draw Primetime Emmy nominations]

“But now this documentary is out, there is an uneasiness in me about it.

“Can you believe I was asked to bombard the Russians to sign the nuclear arms reduction treaty? I bombarded them with my thoughts. Nobody would have believed it. I wiped the discs of the KGB. These are things out of fantasy spy films.”

It's also suggested that Geller was 'reactivated' after 9/11 to assist in the War on Terror.

“Any good intelligence agency in any country will use anything to bring them information. They don’t care how you bring it to them. They want to see results,” he said. [The Sun]

Also in today's press

TV's Dr Christian Jessen has slammed Lord Sugar for going into business with 'Apprentice' winner Leah Totton to open a chain of cosmetic procedure clinics. “Alan Sugar has certainly not done patient safety and medical aesthetics any favours by promoting very junior doc 2 run Botox/filler clinics!” he tweeted. “As the medical director who will be her senior to guide her when things go wrong?! I wonder if you know that there was a recent case of a patient rendered completely blind in one eye after having facial fillers...?” [Twitter]

A 94-year-old singer is among those who have made it through to boot camp on 'The X Factor'. The pensioner, called Bill, was part of a 10-piece group called The Nostalgics who performed Katy Perry's 'Firework' at the Wembley Arena auditions. [The Sun]

'Homeland's Damian Lewis and 'Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville are to face off in the Best Actor category at the Primetime Emmy Awards. Also in the running in their category are Bryan Cranston for 'Breaking Bad', Jeff Daniels for 'The Newsroom' and Jon Hamm for 'Mad Men'. [Metro]