GMB’s Richard Madeley says he faced being gunned down in a ‘death by cop’ showdown after speeding in US

GOOD Morning Britain star Richard Madeley says a US cop nearly shot him after he leapt out of his car having been caught speeding.

The 64-year-old, who is tipped to replace Piers Morgan on the ITV show, explained he had been pulled over after accidentally driving 10mph over the limit.

Writing in the , he told readers: “I once came terrifyingly close in America to so-called ‘death by cop’.”

Richard said that as a “polite Englishman” he felt it would be “arrogant” to stay in his car having been pulled over for driving at 60mph.

So he ambled over to the officer – only for the man to go for his gun and scream at the This Morning legend to get back in his car.

Richard wrote: “I saw him thumb the holster’s cover back and caress the pistol’s handle.”

He explained that the yelling sent him running back to his car where he was ordered to sit with his hands on the steering wheel.

He claimed the officer told him: “Man, I nearly shot you ’cos I thought you were gonna shoot ME. Seriously!”

Speaking about the US gun laws, he predicted that if he had been shot that day that the officer involved would have been exonerated.

The incident, which took place when his daughter Chloe, 33, was little, took place as he drove through Phoenix in the state of Arizona in a people-carrier with wife Judy Finnigan and their children.

However, he said he was let off the speeding ticket because the cop took pity on him after the traumatic showdown.

Richard and Judy have two children, Jack and Chloe, together, both of whom were born when the TV stars were living in Manchester.

He is also stepfather to twins Tom and Dan Henshaw from Judy’s first marriage.