Astonishing live footage of a reality TV contestant trying to throttle his wife has shocked viewers in Serbia.

The violence emerged during the prime time show 'Couples' as partners sat around a huge banquet table.

During a row with another contestant, burly Nenad Marinkovic-Gastoz explodes with fury when his wife Zorica Dukic, 24, tries to intervene.

Zorica Dukic, 24, is manhandled by her husband Nenad Marinkovic-Gastoz, 31, live on Serbian TV

The 24-year-old is marched away from the table of contestants in a headlock by her husband

As he turns on her, Gastoz, 31, clamps his hand over her mouth screaming at her to be quiet.

She can be seen breaking away when her partner tries to pinch her nose too, making it impossible for her to breath.

As she tries to escape, Gastoz grabs her in a headlock and drags her way to the loos, smacking her on the backside on the way.

Then as he grabs her by throat, he bangs her head against a door twice and screams: "You are my girl! I will talk for you! Shut up, I said shut up."

All the other contestants can see every moment of the shocking attack but do nothing to try to stop it and one woman even nonchalantly eats an apple as she watches the fight unfold on a giant screen.

The violence only ends when Gastoz comes growling back to the table growling with frustration.

In the bathroom, Dukic braces herself as Gastoz lays into her, screaming, 'I will talk for you! Shut up!'

The 31-year-old probably thinks the couple are alone in the bathroom as he grips his wife by the throat and mouth

But the rest of the contestants are all watching the drama unfold on the big screen around the banquet table

One woman is enjoying the fight so much she tucks into an apple, not taking her eyes off of the big screen

The show - filmed in a luxury villa in Belgrade - introduces complete strangers who then go through wedding ceremonies to see how long the relationship can survive the pressure.

But far from feeling sorry for Zorica, some viewers believe the entire fight was a simply a stunt for the cameras to keep the couple on the show.

One said: "I reckon they have an arrangement. They will last as long as the show lasts."

Far from feeling sorry for Zorica, some viewers believe the entire fight was a simply a stunt for the cameras to keep the couple on the show

The couple in happier times before appearing on the show known as 'Couples' which introduces complete strangers who then go through wedding ceremonies to see how long the relationship can survive the pressure