A Michael Jackson impersonator - formerly crowned Britain’s Best dad by GMTV - was told by a judge to stop crying as he was given a conditional discharge for assaulting his wife.

Keith Preddie, of Stranger Road, South Norwood, had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife Emma after an argument about Christmas presents.

Preddie was tearful throughout the hearing at Croydon Magistrates Court today.

District Judge Alan Baldwin told the 44-year-old: “It is no good crying, you have to face up to this. Take your hands out of your pockets.”

Judge Baldwin then told Preddie that he had succumbed to a moment of madness.

“I do not condone in any way what you did. A man like you should have known better. But fortunately for you this is a single incident.

“You are a man of 44 years of age and clearly a man of good character. You have done a lot of good things in your life.”

He added: “You have shown a lot of remorse and it was a momentary lapse in an unblemished life.”

Preddie, who is in the process of divorcing his wife, previously worked in a creche and ran a dads’ support group in New Addington.

He was support by a host of family and friends at court, some of whom stood outside during the short hearing.

He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to Mrs Preddie, £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

The father-of-four is well known for his Michael Jackson impersonations and appeared on Channel 4’s reality TV show Come Dine With Me in 2011.

He then released a charity single called ‘Sharmone,’ after repeatedly using the word on the cookery competition.