Downing Street has stopped short of defending David Cameron after the former prime minister was called “that twat” on live television.

Theresa May’s spokeswoman would only say that actor Danny Dyer, who launched the attack on Mr Cameron, and other commentators are “perfectly entitled to their opinion”.

Dyer won plaudits on social media after his rant about the ex-Tory leader and Brexit, with some joking that he should run for office.

Ms May’s spokeswoman said that the prime minister had not seen the broadcast of ITV’s Good Evening Britain on which the EastEnders actor made his comments.

Asked whether the prime minister agreed that Mr Cameron was “a twat”, Ms May’s spokeswoman said: “Much like columnists and others, people who appear on broadcast and newspapers are perfectly entitled to their opinion.”

The show was a spin-off of the Good Morning Britain presented by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid which usually runs earlier in the day.

The special programme also featured Pamela Anderson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose attempt at explaining Labour’s Brexit position was also slated by Mr Dyer.

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The soap star began his outburst saying: “Who knows about Brexit? No one’s got a f**king clue what Brexit is. You watch Question Time, it’s comedy.”

Attempting to interject, Ms Reid said: “Were you no clearer when Jeremy Corbyn [explained his Brexit position].”

But with the Labour leader sitting opposite, the actor replied: “No, I ain’t got a clue, no one knows what it is – it’s like this mad riddle and no one knows what it is, right.

“So what’s happened to that twat David Cameron who called it on?

“Let’s be fair, how come he can scuttle off? He called all this on, where is he? In Europe, in Nice, with his trotters up, where is the geezer? I think he should be held to account for it.”