COMIC JACK DEE left X Factor twins JEDWARD on the brink of tears after bombarding them with insults while recording a TV show.
Grumpy Dee, 49, called the 18-year-old lads "special needs versions of each other" as he hosted pop quiz Never Mind The Buzzcocks.
And the stand-up veteran spent the entire recording ribbing gormless John and Edward Grimes.
Producers now face a delicate editing operation to make the show suitable for broadcast amid fears Dee might be accused of bullying.
A source on the show - made by Talkback Thames for BBC2 - said: "Jack went a bit overboard.
"It started out as good fun but soon turned a bit nasty. The boys knew they were going to get the p*** taken out of them and were up for it.
"But Jack kept going at them relentlessly and it got to the point where he used some seriously strong language.
"The audience and other panellists got a bit uncomfortable. Even Jack realised he had gone too far and tried to pull it back towards the end."
Dee apologised afterwards and complimented the lads for taking the jibes so well.
Jedward said last night: "Jack Dee was a bit rude but we've had worse. At the end of the show he asked for a picture with us so we think he's secretly a massive fan."
A Talkback spokesman said Dee had merely indulged in "harmless ribbing in keeping with the tone of the show".
A new Buzzcocks series is due to start on October 21
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