Man whose head held together by 40 staples appeals for attacker to come forward

A man almost bashed to death outside a Carlton pub has appealed for his cowardly attacker to come forward.

Quentin Peel spoke from his hospital bed after undergoing life saving brain surgery.

Close to death only days ago, Mr Peel now has more than forty staples in his head.

"I was very shocked. When I woke up I was in situation where I didn't know what was going on," he said.

The 32-year-old filmmaker was punched at random outside Percy's Bar and Bistro in Carlton about 1am on Saturday.

He fell backwards, hitting his head. 

With pressure mounting on his brain, he was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where doctors performed life-saving brain surgery 

Since waking, Mr Peel has no memory of the attack.

"It took a while for my brain to work again, but then I spoke to my friend Daniel and he told me everything."

Daniel Kennedy witnessed the bashing, and has pleaded for public help to catch the man responsible.

"(He) gave him a couple of quick hits to the face, he fell backwards and hit his head and was unconscious," Mr Kennedy said.

As the two men walked by the pub they briefly spoke with a woman who was standing outside.

Just seconds later, Mr Peel was bashed unconscious.

Police say a man then tried to continue the assault but was stopped by a female accomplice. Both then fled the scene.