JONATHAN Ross was told today he can keep his £6m-a-year job at the BBC - despite making obscene phone calls on air to actor Andrew Sachs.
The BBC Trust, the corporation’s
governing body, said the "right action” had already been taken against Ross, who has been suspended until January. Brand quit last month.
Its report on the controversy, published today, said the calls were “grossly offensive” and there was no justification for broadcasting them.
And it added that the 'prank', broadcast on Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show last month was a “deplorable intrusion” into the private lives of Sachs and his granddaughter, Georgina Baillie.
Brand and Ross on the infamous show
But Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons said the BBC’s director general had taken the right action with regard to Ross, who was suspended without pay for three months.
He said: “We have underlined very clearly that it is not the job of the Trust to make decisions about the terms and conditions of performers or the sanctions that are applied to them when they are found to be wanting.
The people responsible no longer work for the BBC
BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons
“We are very clear that the director general has taken the right action with respect to Jonathan Ross.”
The Trust said there was no “editorial justification” and no “informed consent obtained” for airing the messages, which were left on the answering machine of the Fawlty Towers actor.
BBC trustee Richard Tait said there were three failures: to exercise editorial control, to follow established compliance systems and a failure of judgment in taking editorial decisions.
But he said the Trust considered the BBC’s response to the controversy to be appropriate.
Sir Michael added: “The common issue is not who the performers are.
“The common issue is editorial failings... the failings here are in the role of the BBC as the publisher of the material.”
He said that the material in the case of Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show should not have been recorded and that in all the cases the Trust considered today it could have been excised before broadcast.
He said: “The failings we have discussed this morning are serious but they are being addressed.”
He described it as a “disappointing and dismal episode” but said director general Mark Thompson and his team had responded constructively.
The chairman added that the failings demonstrated a “very serious lack in editorial judgment and control” within Radio 2.
He added: “That’s why the people responsible for that no longer work for the BBC.”
Sir Michael called for more editorial oversight of “high risk programmes”.
He said: “Putting Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross in the same studio, you could have predicted quite straightforwardly was going to be a risky situation. This isn’t rocket science.”
Sir Michael also addressed the current economic climate and said the BBC was not immune from financial pressures and the Trust was discussing with Mr Thompson what changes might be necessary.
He said Mr Thompson was reviewing his six-year financial strategy.
Sir Michael said the Trust would have more to say about that in the new year.
He also said that the public service executive directors had agreed to waive their bonus entitlement in 2009.
Mr Thompson will also waive his bonus entitlement, Sir Michael said.
Despite today's decision, the BBC could still be fined up to £250,000 by broadcasting watchdog Ofcom, who received nearly 2,000 complaints about the scandal.
An Ofcom spokesman said: “Ofcom’s investigation is still ongoing.
“The results of our publication will be published in due course.”
ROSS AND HIS HUMOUR
22.11.08, 9:02pm
I amsick to death of reading about this wker its about time he was put out grass along with the rest of the so called comedians.
A disgrace that someone can get away with this sort of thing. He shows that he is spineless and thinks of money only. Russell Brand has my admiration for his actions.
I stopped watching Ross after only a couple of shows and the radio has only just got tuned back to R2. Put him on after midnight if you really must waste our licence fee money on this person. PLEASE let me listen to R2 on a Saturday morning with a decent presenter.
How many hours does this berk work to get £6m a year - don't tell me - The programmes that could be put on television for that much could be educational or relaxing - The wrong people are running the country and the BBC - It's strange how all the good programmes disappeared when labour arrived - Hand in Glove - lets hope it will soon be Cap in Hand for them. I can't believe someone can be made a Lord and then own a brain that defends this vulgar character. This is on CNN news -the whole world knows about it -and they don't like filth. No wonder they think Great Britain is rough. How I wish Mary Whitehouse was alive.The idiot would be long gone.
Get rid of him - and the license fee altogether and behave yourselves. You are a disgrace BBC. Luckily some of us are educated.
I cannot imagine how anybody likes this ghastly man. Not only is he vulgar in the extreme, he likes himself far too much...about the only one who does judging by the comments here.....
Do the right thing by the licence-fee payers BBC - sack him once and for all.
So Sir Michael Lyons believes it is in order for so called 'comedian' presenters to break the law by making obscene and lewd phone calls!
One presumes that Ross's wife also believes it is quite in order for her husband to make lewd phone calls and lewd comments to female guests on his alleged entertaining show?
ROSS AND HIS HUMOUR
22.11.08, 9:02pm
I amsick to death of reading about this wker its about time he was put out grass along with the rest of the so called comedians.
• Posted by: porkpies • Report Comment
BBC: JONATHAN ROSS CAN ****** HIS £6M-A-YEAR JOB
22.11.08, 11:08am
A disgrace that someone can get away with this sort of thing. He shows that he is spineless and thinks of money only. Russell Brand has my admiration for his actions.
I stopped watching Ross after only a couple of shows and the radio has only just got tuned back to R2. Put him on after midnight if you really must waste our licence fee money on this person. PLEASE let me listen to R2 on a Saturday morning with a decent presenter.
• Posted by: Andy_filey • Report Comment
LICENCE PAYERS MONEY
22.11.08, 2:06am
No one is worth that much money, and it shouldn't be theirs to spend it like that. He needs a big paycut.
• Posted by: BritVic • Report Comment
HIM
22.11.08, 1:15am
How many hours does this berk work to get £6m a year - don't tell me - The programmes that could be put on television for that much could be educational or relaxing - The wrong people are running the country and the BBC - It's strange how all the good programmes disappeared when labour arrived - Hand in Glove - lets hope it will soon be Cap in Hand for them. I can't believe someone can be made a Lord and then own a brain that defends this vulgar character. This is on CNN news -the whole world knows about it -and they don't like filth. No wonder they think Great Britain is rough. How I wish Mary Whitehouse was alive.The idiot would be long gone.
Get rid of him - and the license fee altogether and behave yourselves. You are a disgrace BBC. Luckily some of us are educated.
• Posted by: Jaypuss • Report Comment
ROSS COMING BACK TO OUR SCREENS
22.11.08, 12:17am
I cannot imagine how anybody likes this ghastly man. Not only is he vulgar in the extreme, he likes himself far too much...about the only one who does judging by the comments here.....
Do the right thing by the licence-fee payers BBC - sack him once and for all.
• Posted by: Libra • Report Comment
ROSS!
21.11.08, 11:04pm
So Sir Michael Lyons believes it is in order for so called 'comedian' presenters to break the law by making obscene and lewd phone calls!
One presumes that Ross's wife also believes it is quite in order for her husband to make lewd phone calls and lewd comments to female guests on his alleged entertaining show?
• Posted by: RichardMac • Report Comment
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