An Al-Jadeed TV interview rapidly deteriorated when London-based Islamist Hani Al-Seba'i, who went off on a historical tangent, refused to heed TV host Rima Karaki's request to stick to the topic of discussion. When Al-Siba'i told Karaki to "shut up," she told him that the interview was over.

A LEBANESE female TV presenter is being hailed as gutsy for shutting down a live interview in which she was told to shut up by an extremist cleric.

Rima Karaki, an anchor on Lebanon’s Al-Jadeed TV, was interviewing the London-based scholar, Hani Al Seba’i, on the weekend of International Women’s Day about the recent wave of Christians joining the Islamic State terror group.

Instead of answering the questions posed by Karaki, the cleric veered off topic to talk about the history of Christians joining Islam.

“It was at its peak during the 1970s, with the leftist revolutionary movement.

“Back then, we saw leftist organisation like the Red Brigades in Italy, the Red Army in Germany, the Baader Meinhof Group ...”

As he keeps naming groups, Karaki jumps in and asked the cleric to “focus on the present”.

“At present, what slogans are used to attract (Christians) to these groups?” she asks.

Dr Al Seba’i then becomes visibly angry, raises his voice and says: “Listen, don’t cut me off. I will answer as I please.

“I will not answer the way you like, because I’m here to serve the idea in which I believe,” he yells.

When Karaki attempts to warn the cleric of time constraints, he becomes even more aggressive, until the anchor reminds him that “in this studio, I run the show”.

“If you are going to elaborate so much, we won’t have time for other questions.

“Now, it’s up to you. If we have time, you will answer all the questions,” she says.

In a blatant disregard for Karaki’s authority, the cleric responds: “You can decide as much as you like, but I will do whatever I want.”

When she asks him to stop arguing, Dr Al Seba’i tells Karaki to “shut up”, and she jumps in, saying: “How can a respected sheik like yourself tell a TV host to shut up?”, and signals to end the interview.

To which the cleric yells: “It’s beneath me to be interviewed by you. You are a woman who ...” as Karaki signals to shut off the sound.

The bold move has triggered an avalanche of supportive tweets, with female and male users alike commending Karaki on standing up for herself and women worldwide.

@KarakiRima You are an absolute legend, icon to women for how to stand strong against being disrespected, whilst doing so with grace. Bravo! — Lorena Guzman (@LorenaGuzman_) March 9, 2015

#Lebanon - Telling @KarakiRima to "shut up" on her TV show; big mistake!! She handed this dude his ass on a plate :) http://t.co/i4eCHRG4QI — Ken (@Ken_S_S) March 8, 2015

@KarakiRima I saw the interview you carried yourself w such grace and class on international womens day you are definitely one to look up to — Veronica Cofre (@veronicacofrevb) March 8, 2015

@KarakiRima major respect to you! You took control of the interview with poise, but most importantly with #girlpower! — Michelle Martinez (@_lafilleennoir) March 9, 2015