Jerry Springer is baffled his U.S. TV show has stayed on air so long - because it is "awful".

The 65 year old has hosted The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991 - but he's mystified as to why viewers are so hooked.

He says, "We've been doing this show for 19 years now and I'm really sorry for that. No one had any idea that it would last all these years."

And Springer can't help but cringe when he watches back his very first episode: "That was pretty pathetic but it's not as if it's got any better, it's still awful."

