Jerry Springer clears the way to make run for US Senate

Jerry Springer, the talk show king and host of Battlin' Babes, filed papers yesterday that clear the way for a US Senate run from Ohio in 2004.

Mr Springer - inspiration for the show Jerry Springer the Opera running at the National Theatre, London - says he will make a final decision on whether to enter the race by the end of the month. If he does, he faces a tough battle - first in the Democrat primary and then, should he prevail, against the popular Republican incumbent, George Voinovich.

But despite these hurdles, Mr Springer, 59, is likely to launch his bid as a populist Democrat out to "help the little guy" against the "Republican elite". He has already started airing fund-raising "infomercials" on television.