TV presenter Rachel Riley has told the London High Court she was subjected to a “concerted attack” two years ago after an aide to then UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described her as “dangerous” and “stupid” in a tweet.

Ms Riley (35), who appears in Channel 4 show Countdown, told Mr Justice Nicklin she received an “onslaught of abuse” following Laura ­Murray’s March 2019 tweet.

She said a “campaign” was initiated to “get me fired from my job, as being someone who had advocated violence”.

Ms Riley, who has sued Ms Murray for libel and wants damages, said the tweet caused “serious harm” to her reputation.

Ms Murray, who no longer works as an aide to Mr Corbyn, has mounted a defence.

She says what she tweeted was true, and reflected her honestly held opinions.

Mr Justice Nicklin yesterday began overseeing a trial at the High Court in London.

Ms Murray had posted the tweet on March 3, 2019, after an egg was thrown at Mr Corbyn, then the Labour leader, by a Brexit supporter when he was visiting Finsbury Park Mosque in north London.

She had been responding to a tweet posted by Ms Riley, Mr Justice Nicklin heard.

Ms Riley initially posted a screenshot of a tweet by journalist Owen Jones, about an attack on ex-British National Party leader Nick Griffin. Mr Jones had said: “I think sound life advice is, if you don’t want eggs thrown at you, don’t be a Nazi.” She had added, “Good advice”, with emojis of a red rose and an egg.

Later, Ms Murray tweeted: “Today Jeremy Corbyn went to his local mosque for Visit My Mosque Day, and was attacked by a Brexiteer. Rachel Riley tweets that Corbyn deserves to be violently attacked because he is a Nazi. This woman is as dangerous as she is stupid. Nobody should engage with her. Ever.”

Mr Justice Nicklin previously ruled that Ms Murray’s tweet was defamatory.

He has now been asked to consider whether serious harm was caused to Ms Riley’s reputation, and, whether Ms Murray had a “truth” defence, an “honest opinion” defence, or a “public interest” defence.

Ms Riley said she was being “sarcastic” in her tweet and had not called Mr Corbyn a Nazi. “The response to the defendant’s libel of me was a concerted attack on me and my career,” Ms Riley said in a written witness statement.  

Ms Riley told the judge of an “onslaught of abuse” and said she had taken steps to improve “personal and home security”.

The case continues.