Ian Paisley says DUP told him to quit as leader
Ian Paisley told the documentary that he was told to step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland first minister in 2008 Ian Paisley and his wife have spoken for the first time about events surrounding his departure as DUP leader and first minister.
Although Mr Paisley, now Lord Bannside, said in 2008 that he was not pressured to quit he has now claimed he was told to go.
He blamed the current party leader Peter Robinson and his deputy Nigel Dodds.
They deny the Paisleys' account of events.
The claims are made in part two of the BBC programme Paisley: Genesis to Revelation.
Mr Paisley claimed his special adviser, Timothy Johnson, presented him with a survey of DUP MLAs which contained criticisms of his work as first minister, not least his "chuckling" behaviour with Martin McGuinness.
Mr Paisley has alleged a meeting soon followed, involving Mr Robinson, Mr Dodds, party whip Lord Morrow and Mr Johnson.
"Nigel Dodds said to me I want you to be gone by Friday," he said.
"I just more or less smirked and Peter said 'no, no, no he needs to stay in for another couple of months'."
Eileen Paisley said her husband was "assassinated with words and deeds", treated shamefully and was left with no option but to stand down.
"I detected a nasty spirit arising from some of the other MPs and the way they spoke to Ian," Mrs Paisley said.
"I was very annoyed one day with the way some of them spoke to him and addressed him.
"Whenever they said to him about what was going on and he said to them 'well that's what should be done' and they said 'och doc', you know? Sort of, 'don't be so stupid'. That sort of set the alarm bells ringing in my head."
'Diminished recollection'Mr Robinson and his colleagues have said no such meeting took place as described, that the timing of Mr Paisley's departure was a matter for him and the passage of time had diminished his recollection.
Mr Johnson said the survey was carried out at Dr Paisley's request and rejected any suggestion it was framed to bring about the leader's removal.
Mr Paisley has been one of the most controversial political figures of the 20th Century.
He has lived most of his life in the public eye and played a pivotal role in Northern Ireland's history.
Mr Paisley once vowed he would never share power with Sinn Féin, but spent over a year at Stormont as Northern Ireland's first minister working with Martin McGuinness, the deputy first minister and former IRA leader.
He stepped down from politics in May 2008, just weeks after he resigned as moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church, which he founded.
The documentary also examines that departure.
Paisley: Genesis To Revelation - Face To Face With Eamonn Mallie is on BBC One NI on Monday 13 January at 22:35 GMT
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