Nigel Farage has attacked BBC “bias” hours before he takes part in a live election programme hosted by the corporation.
The Ukip leader hit out at the broadcaster during a walkabout in Aylesbury, a Tory seat which the eurosceptic party sees as a target.
Mr Farage insisted his party had “momentum” and a “buzz” in the seat, meaning he was not wasting his time by campaigning in the constituency a week before polling day.
He is due to join a Question Time-style discussion tonight after David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg take part in a separate programme.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Farage said: “We have this bizarre state of affairs where the BBC, an organisation we are all charged £145 a year to have the benefit of seeing, aren’t regulated by Ofcom, have made their own minds up (about major party status) and frankly produce the News at 10 every night as if there were just two choices in England in this election.
“I think they are biased. I thought last night’s report they produced on the South Thanet constituency was frankly outrageous.”
The Ukip leader said he had no objection to the coverage by other broadcasters, whether stories had been positive or negative during the campaign.
The party has also protested to police about an item on the BBC’s satirical quiz show Have I Got News For You, but the complaint is not being pursued, reports said.
Earlier this month, Mr Farage hit out at the selection of the audience in the TV debate produced by the BBC featuring himself and other opposition leaders.
A live audience will put questions to Mr Farage on BBC1 at around 10.35pm tonight. The programme will only be broadcast in England.
Mr Farage said: “We will see what we get tonight with the audience. What I do know is the real audience will be sitting at home and I will do my best, albeit rather late having been excluded from the main debate, to do what I have tried to do through this whole General Election campaign. That is to tell the truth, even if at times the truth is difficult to hear.”
He added: “It is as if the BBC is part, in its thinking, of the political establishment. We are the one party in British politics challenging this European consensus and frankly I think being treated in the most extraordinary way.
“I mean, look. When we have people in Ukip who say or do stupid things – and it happens – I have to hold my hands up and the BBC cover it as a news story.
“There have been 291 councillors and council candidates from the Liberal, Labour and Conservative parties who since January 1 this year have been arrested, imprisoned or forced to stand down for crimes including racial assault and paedophilia.
“We don’t see much of that on the news.”
While on his walkabout, Mr Farage was presented a gift by a woman.
She said: “This is from the French culture to support you. The French, they support you … this is worth about £3,000. Open it and look at it.”
The Ukip leader said: “Wow … this is absolutely amazing,” before handing the sculpture, which resembled a silver chain link, to an aide.
Mr Farage was at the centre of a scrum of activists, media and Aylesbury residents throughout the event, which lasted about half an hour.
He insisted the constituency, held by Europe minister David Lidington by more than 12,000 votes in 2010, was a viable target for the party.
Ukip’s candidate, Chris Evans, also ran in 2010 when he finished in fourth and last place with around 3,600 votes.
But Mr Farage insisted: “(There is a) huge Tory majority but I haven’t come today to waste my time. I know there is a buzz, I know there is momentum here and this is one of those areas that could produce a real, real shock.
“There is no such thing as an expert in this election, predict what will happen seat by seat.”
The reception for the Ukip leader was not wholly positive in Aylesbury’s Market Square.
Before he arrived, a man appeared on a bicycle shouting about the National Front, and in the melee around Mr Farage he was challenged by another man on whether he only took questions from party members.
But a woman, apparently a passer-by, thanked Mr Farage for representing people like her.