The BBC was accused of �arrogance� yesterday as its chairman accepted Radio 2 was wrong to announce Jonathan Ross�s return date.
The BBC was accused of "arrogance" yesterday as its chairman accepted Radio 2 was wrong to announce Jonathan Ross's return date.
Sir Michael Lyons said "nothing" had been ruled out during the inquiry into the Andrew Sachs controversy, sparking speculation that £6m-a-year Ross could face further disciplinary action.
However, the BBC Trust later issued a statement which indicated no further sanction against Ross was expected.
Ross is serving a three-month suspension from the airwaves after he and Russell Brand caused uproar by leaving lewd messages on the Fawlty Towers actor's answering machine.
Sir Michael, chairman of the BBC Trust, and BBC director- general Mark Thompson came under fire from MPs during a tough Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing at the House of Commons.
Radio 2 said last week that Ross would return on January 24.
John Whittingdale, the committee chairman, asked Sir Michael whether this announcement was premature, given that the Trust was not due to publish its final report on the scandal until Friday.
Sir Michael replied: "There are many aspects of this affair which I would like to have seen handled differently.
"I am sure in the last week the BBC has done a few things I wish it hadn't - it's a big organisation."
The Trust chairman indicated the body had yet to make its final decision on the scandal. "The BBC Trust has not finished its deliberations and all of the matters are subject to the final decision," he said.
"There is nothing that has been ruled out from the final deliberations of the BBC Trust."
This appeared to raise the possibility of more punishment for Ross, as while the Trust has no power to sack BBC employees, it could rule that the moves taken to redress the Sachs incident were insufficient, putting pressure on Mr Thompson to take further action.
But a statement from the Trust appeared to put Ross's position in less doubt.
It said the Trust had ratified the BBC management's decision to suspend Ross without pay for three months as "an appropriate sanction".
The statement continued: "The Trust will not pre-empt its own inquiry, but based on the oral updates it has received since October 30, it does not expect the director- general's final report to provide new information of substance relating to Jonathan Ross's role which would lead it to change its view on his part in this incident."
The BBC Trust meets tomorrow to discuss the corporation's handling of the affair, which prompted more than 40,000 complaints.
Several apologies have been made for the comments, broadcast on Brand's Radio 2 show on October 18.
During the furore that followed, Brand resigned, as did Radio 2 boss Lesley Douglas and David Barber, the Radio 2 head of specialist music and compliance.
Committee members accused Sir Michael and Mr Thompson of "lamentable slowness" in the way the saga was handled.
After Mr Thompson admitted the lewd phone messages were a "very serious editorial lapse", Philip Davies, a member of the committee, accused them of presiding over "an arrogant organisation".
Mr Thompson said that the BBC failed in its duty of care to Mr Sachs's granddaughter, Georgina Baillie.
He said: "This is an example of a really serious editorial lapse which is not close to a boundary where you can debate it.
"It is absolutely well on the wrong side of the line in terms of invasion of privacy and in terms of a lapse in duty of care to some of the individuals - Mr Sachs's granddaughter being at the centre of that.
"I would say that it was entirely appropriate that the rest of the media should point to that."
Sir Michael also said the corporation had "crossed a boundary" by broadcasting the messages on Brand's Radio 2 show.
The grilling was the second held by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in its inquiry into the BBC's commercial operations.
