The BBC's Sunday Politics show is generally a rather sedate affair, heavy on serious interviews and light on controversy. But viewers were treated to a highly charged confrontation between host Andrew Neil and US conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, which saw the latter labelled the worst person to be interviewed on the show and an idiot.

The shock jock had been invited on the show alongside journalist David Aaronovitch to discuss the secretive Bilderberg conference, which has been taking place near Watford over the past week.

But having been asked on several occasions to let his co-guest speak, Jones launched into a tirade about several conspiracy theories detailed on his website.

He was cut off by Neil, but when he continued to rant, the presenter said: "You are the worst person I've ever interviewed," before thanking Aaronovitch and continuing with the show.

With Jones's shouts still audible, the presenter looked into the camera and said: "We have an idiot on the programme today," before using hand gestures to indicate that Jones was insane.

After being told several times to try not to dominate the conversation, Jones appeared to lose his temper, shouting: "Hey listen, I'm here to warn people; you keep telling me to shut up. This isn't a game. Our government, the US, is building Fema [Federal Emergency Management Agency] camps.

Alex Jones, right, author and conspiracy theorist, outside the 2013 Bilderberg Group meeting in Hertfordshire. Photograph: Guy Corbishley/Demotix/Corbis

"We have an NDAA [National Defence Authorisation Act] where they disappear people now. You have this arrest for public safety, life in prison. It's basically off with their heads, disappear them. Take them away. Infowars.com. Liberty is rising. Liberty is rising. Freedom will not stop. You will not stop freedom. You will not stop the republic. Humanity is awakening."

Noting Neil's gestures, he added: "No, you guys are crazy, thinking that the public's too stupid. You're crazy, thinking the public doesn't know. You're crazy, thinking the public isn't waking up."

Jones said earlier in the show that the creation of the euro was a Nazi German plan, and the Bilderberg Group – an annual conference of politicians, business leaders and academics who meet behind closed doors – was heavily involved in the EU plan. "We have forced them from cover to admit they're puppeteers above the major parties," he said.

Taking to Twitter after the show Neil said Jones had played up for the camera. "The moment Alex Jones knew he was no longer on air he stopped," he wrote. Jones is renowned for his "shock jock" tactics and came to the attention of the British public after calling for Piers Morgan to be deported from the US for his views on gun control.

He was invited on Morgan's show to discuss the issue, after the 14 December massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, where he called the presenter a "redcoat foreigner" and threatened to start a revolution if anyone tried to "take our guns".

At the end of the Sunday Politics show Morgan said on Twitter: "Morning, @afneil – didn't you get my memo on @RealAlexJones?"