George Clooney has reflected on the lasting impact that a near-fatal motorbike crash in 2018 has had on him.

The actor and director, 60, had been on location in Sardinia filming Catch-22 when the accident took place.

Speaking to TheSunday Times, he told how he had been flung over the handlebars and was “waiting for my switch to turn off” as he lay on the ground.

Thankfully, he wasn’t seriously injured, but the incident highlighted to him the dangerous side of being in the public eye, as rather than try to help him, a number of people took out their mobile phones to try and film him instead.

He said: “If you’re in the public eye, what you realise when you’re on the ground thinking it’s the last minute of your life is that, for some people, it’s just going to be entertainment for their Facebook page.

“I’m a pretty positive guy, but that told me - clearly - that you really are here just for their entertainment.”

The father-of-two won’t be putting himself in such a situation again as he has agreed to never ride a motorbike again at the request of his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, 43.