Charles Saatchi has now admitted that he attacked his wife Nigella Lawson when he choked her in public. The advertising tycoon previously downplayed the incident, calling it as a "playful tiff" between husband and wife.

The 70-year-old multi-millionaire was photographed by Sunday People this week apparently hurting the TV cook while they were dining outdoors at their favourite restaurant Scott's in London. Fellow diners have witnessed how Saatchi apparently grabbed Lawson by the throat four times, and at one time even using both of his wrists to push her face away.

Lawson, 53, appeared to be terrified of her husband, wiping her tears off with a napkin while at the same time trying to calm Saatchi down.

The pictures caused outrage, with online commenters calling Saatchi an abusive husband who didn't even think twice about attacking his wife in public.

But for Saatchi, they shouldn't worry at all because the whole incident was actually more innocent than it looks.

"About a week ago, we were sitting outside a restaurant having an intense debate about the children, and I held Nigella's neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasise my point," he told the Evening Standard.

"There was no grip, it was a playful tiff. The pictures are horrific but give a far more drastic and violent impression of what took place. Nigella's tears were because we both hate arguing, not because she had been hurt.

"We had made up by the time we were home. The paparazzi were congregated outside our house after the story broke yesterday morning, so I told Nigella to take the kids off till the dust settled."

He has since changed his tune, though.

On Monday night, Saatchi admitted to police officers that he attacked Lawson, and accepted a caution for assault.

He voluntarily went to the police, and was interrogated for five hours at the Charing Cross Police Station in Central London, according to the Mirror.

"Officers from the Community Safety Unit at Westminster were aware of the Sunday People article which was published on 16 June and carried out an investigation," a Met spokesman said.

"This afternoon a 70-year-old man voluntarily attended a Central London police station and accepted a caution for assault."

Lawson did not file a report about the incident, although her rep confirmed reports that she had left their home after the pictures were published.

"I can clarify that she has left the family with her children," her spokesman said.

Lawson has two children, 19-year-old Cosima and 17-year-old Bruno, from her previous marriage to journalist John Diamond.

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