Taken on the sun-drenched terrace of an upmarket Mayfair restaurant, the infamous pictures sent shockwaves around the world.

A terrified-looking Nigella Lawson was seen embroiled in a dispute with her then-husband Charles Saatchi, which culminated in him putting his hands around the chef’s throat.

But despite the repercussions of the June 2013 incident – a police warning for multi- millionaire art collector Mr Saatchi, and divorce for the couple – the scene was apparently replicated for personal amusement by Elizabeth Hurley’s ex-husband, Arun Nayar.

Sitting on the same terrace at celebrity haunt Scott’s, the smiling Indian textile heir reached over to his female companion and put his right hand around her throat – in full view of other diners and passers-by.

The tycoon, 60, whose left arm was in a sling, then appeared to whisper something into her ear which caused them both to laugh.

Whatever it was, the joke was in extremely poor taste, particularly as Mr Saatchi, 81, happened to be in the restaurant at the same time.

He was vilified as a domestic abuser in the wake of the original incident, despite denying physically attacking his wife, and it led to the breakdown of their near ten-year marriage. 

It is not clear whether Mr Nayar, married to actress Ms Hurley between 2007 and 2011, was aware of Mr Saatchi’s presence, or if the advertising mogul witnessed his antics. 

Sitting on the same terrace at celebrity haunt Scott’s, the smiling Indian textile heir reached over to his female companion and put his right hand around her throat – in full view of other diners and passers-by

A terrified-looking Nigella Lawson was seen embroiled in a dispute with her then-husband Charles Saatchi, which culminated in him putting his hands around the chef’s throat

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But 15 minutes after they left the restaurant on Tuesday, Mr Saatchi emerged from the main entrance.

Last night, women’s rights campaigner Patsy Stevenson said she was ‘disgusted’ by Mr Nayar’s behaviour. ‘I hope [he] wasn’t recreating the image. 

To recreate abuse for a ‘joke’ is misogynistic. It belittles what Nigella Lawson went through. Jokes like this are not funny, they are harmful.

‘It shows we are still at a similar place in regards to male violence against women and girls, where men think it’s acceptable to put their hands around a woman’s throat.’ 

It has been nearly 12 years since Mr Saatchi and Ms Lawson were photographed at the same spot in June 2013, in scenes which were to trigger the very public breakdown of their marriage. 

The couple were having lunch when, in clear view of fellow diners, Mr Saatchi, then 70, was seen using first his left hand, then both hands, to grab his wife around the throat.

The TV chef appeared visibly upset, dabbing her eyes on a napkin. 

The photos were published in a Sunday newspaper, with one onlooker describing the scene as ‘utterly shocking’ and ‘horrific’. 

Whatever it was, the joke was in extremely poor taste, particularly as Mr Saatchi, 81, happened to be in the restaurant at the same time

Hours later, Ms Lawson, then 53, was seen leaving the couple’s £12million home in Chelsea with a suitcase.

She did not make a complaint to the police, and Mr Saatchi later said it had been a ‘playful tiff’.

But Scotland Yard interviewed Mr Saatchi, who accepted a formal warning for assault. 

He announced his intention to divorce Ms Lawson to The Mail on Sunday, claiming it was because of her refusal to publicly defend his reputation.

But it was Ms Lawson who was granted a divorce in July 2013 over his ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

Mr Nayar and Ms Hurley are said to still be friends.

He was also previously married to Italian model Valentina Pedroni and personal trainer Kim Johnson.

The MoS made Nigella’s spokesman aware of the photographs but the TV chef declined to comment.