Youssef confirmed receiving an arrest warrant, saying he will head to the prosecution office Sunday "unless they [prosecution] send me a police car today and save me transportation trouble".

Youssef hosts a weekly satirical programme El-Bernameg (The Show) on the private satellite television channel CBC.

The complaints were filed by 12 citizens after Youssef's 1 March episode in which he mocked a Morsi TV interview.

In January, a number of Islamist lawyers filed a lawsuit against Youssef, accusing him of "undermining the standing of the President" during his show. However, charges were dropped before the case reached court.