Christian Bale's sister says actor needs help to deal with temper

Sharon Bale, 41, a driving instructor who lives in Poole, Dorset, says the incident was similar to an alleged verbal assault he unleashed on her at London's Dorchester Hotel before the Batman premiere last July.

On that occasion Bale, 35, apparently lost his temper in front of her three young children. Ms Bale was so concerned about the episode she reported her brother to the police. He was later released without charge.

Now she believes the outbursts must be stress-related.

Ms Bale also revealed that since his arrest following the incident at the premiere, the pair have not been in touch. She says she regrets getting the police involved because of the media storm it created.

She said: "It's terribly sad. I feel for him. He seems to be incredibly stressed and angry at the moment. This sort of behaviour is totally out of character. I think he might need help. He verbally attacked us. He spoke in the same aggressive way he did to that lighting engineer. I wouldn't have minded so much but it was in front of my three children.

"I went to the police because I felt he should be cautioned. I thought one day his temper could get him into trouble. I regret it now because the media got involved and came out with some very hurtful things, about mum and me instigating the argument.

"All I was trying to do was help him. I wanted him to stop and try to get help. He's a lovely bloke who adores my kids and family. I haven't spoken to him about the latest incident but I wish him well. He's normally a placid guy but he has done film after film and he really gets into character. I think he just needs time out."

Christian's mother Jenny, 61, who lives in Bournemouth, Dorset, has also revealed she was "upset" at hearing her son's rant.

She said: "He is a perfectionist and if you are doing an intense scene and someone is spoiling a shot, it takes time to get it back.

"I can understand his anger but not the length of the tirade."

The Batman star, who grew up in Bournemouth, has unleashed his expletive-laden rant on the set of his new film, Terminator: Salvation.

It has since been circulating the internet and millions have now heard the four-minute tirade — containing 37 expletives — directed at a lighting engineer after he distracted Bale during a take. Bale threatened to walk off the shoot if the man was not fired.

Bale was a pupil at Bournemouth School when he landed a lead role in Steven Spielberg's 1987 film, Empire Of The Sun. In 1991, when he was 13, his parents divorced. Four years later he moved to Los Angeles with his father David and sister Louise.