Knoxville defends Ringer

Actor and stuntman Johnny Knoxville has leaped to the defence of his controversial new film The Ringer, insisting it doesn't mock mentally disabled people.

The Jackass star insists the Farrelly Brothers-produced comedy, about a man called Steve (Knoxville) who enters the Special Olympics pretending to be developmentally disabled, is not intended to offend audiences.

He says: "No, it's really not like that at all. Okay we push the humour very far, but all the mean stuff happens to me; we're not making fun of people with mental disabilities.

"I know it sounds like it could be a train wreck and I'm going to end up in hell, but it's actually quite a sweet film.

"I'm going to hell alright. Just not for The Ringer."