Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross have been suspended in the wake of the controversy over their lewd calls to Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs, the BBC said today.
Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand have been suspended in the wake of the controversy over their lewd calls to Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs, the BBC announced today.
The decision came as the BBC received 18,000 complaints over the furore.
BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said it was "not appropriate for either Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross to continue broadcasting on the BBC until I have seen the full report of the actions of all concerned".
In a written statement, Mr Thompson said the broadcast was a "gross lapse of taste" and a "severe offence".
He said he had apologised to actor Mr Sachs over the broadcast.
He said: "I would like to add my own personal and unreserved apology to Andrew Sachs, his family and to licence fee payers for the completely unacceptable broadcast on BBC Radio 2.
"BBC audiences accept that, in comedy, performers attempt to push the line of taste.
"However, this is not a marginal case. It is clear from the views expressed by the public that this broadcast has caused severe offence and I share that view.
"Since Sunday, I have been in regular contact with the senior executives I tasked with handling this issue.
"The investigation that I instructed Tim Davie to conduct is nearing completion, and I am returning to London to review the findings and, in the coming days, announce what action we will take.
"In the meantime, I have decided that it is not appropriate for either Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross to continue broadcasting on the BBC until I have seen the full report of the actions of all concerned.
"This gross lapse of taste by the performers and the production team has angered licence payers.
"I am determined that we satisfy them that any lessons will be learnt and appropriate action taken.
"I have been asked to report to the Trust's Editorial Standards Committee before the end of this week and will discuss with the trust the findings of the report and the actions I propose."
A BBC spokesman said the corporation will comment in due course on what will happen to the pair's shows which are due to air this week.
Ross had been understood to be filming his weekly BBC television chat show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross today.
Guests Sir David Attenborough, Disney star Miley Cyrus, comedian Frank Skinner and band The Killers were all expected to attend.
The BBC had said before Mr Thompson's statement that the radio shows of Ross and Brand would still air on Saturday.
Mr Thompson is thought to have been on holiday as the row erupted but the BBC would not comment.
A BBC spokesman said the corporation will comment in due course on what will happen to the pair's shows which are due to air this week.
Ross had been understood to be filming his weekly BBC television chat show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross today.
Guests Sir David Attenborough, Disney star Miley Cyrus, comedian Frank Skinner and band The Killers were all expected to attend.
The BBC had said before Mr Thompson's statement that the radio shows of Ross and Brand would still air on Saturday.
Mr Thompson is thought to have been on holiday as the row erupted but the BBC would not comment.
A Parliamentary motion criticising the calls has been signed by 13 MPs from across the parties, and several more have signalled they will back it.
Tory MP Nigel Evans, one of the motion's signatories and a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said the Director General's statement was "long overdue".
"It would appear that this statement has been made just minutes prior to Prime Minister's question time and with the focus of attention shifting towards the Director General," he said.
"He has made the right decision in suspending the pair and by stating that they had crossed a line that was totally unacceptable.
"He must now make sure that the investigation is speedy and must fully cooperate with the Ofcom investigation.
"Should he find that they have breached their contracts in the way that they performed this offensive prank, then they should no longer be in receipt of licence payers money and their contracts should be terminated."
Mr Thompson's statement comes 11 days after the offensive prank was broadcast on Radio 2.
It follows yesterday's criticism by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who described the behaviour of the presenters as "inappropriate and unacceptable".
In a message left on his voicemail, the pair claimed Brand had slept with the Fawlty Towers actor's granddaughter Georgina Baillie, 23.
The presenters, in the pre-recorded show - which was cleared to air despite Sachs being upset by it - also joked the actor might kill himself.
Meanwhile, Brand, who is thought to be paid more than £200,000 a year, was preparing to fly to the US for "work reasons".
A spokesperson for the star was not commenting on the BBC's decision to suspend him.
Brand was travelling out of the country to continue to make films, he said.
A spokesman for Ross, who is said to earn £6 million a year from the BBC, was unavailable for comment.
A source later said that tonight's recording of Friday Night With Jonathan Ross has been cancelled.
Miss Baillie called today for Ross and Brand to be sacked for their lewd phone calls.
The aspiring model also threatened that she could make an official complaint to police, but admitted she had slept with Brand.
She branded the high-earning presenters "cruel sickos".
In an interview with The Sun, Miss Baillie said: "What's funny about humiliating a lovely old man who has never harmed anyone in his life? My grandfather is really upset and says he wants the whole situation to end.
"I will be speaking to him to ask whether we should complain to the police and we'll be making the decision as a family.
"They (Brand and Ross) should at least pay for what they've done with their jobs."
She also said that the Radio 2 bosses who allowed the DJs' on-air calls to be broadcast should also go.
She added that she felt "totally and utterly exposed and betrayed" by the calls.
Ross, 47, has issued a personal apology to Sachs accompanied by flowers, with Brand, 33, following suit.
A BBC spokeswoman later confirmed that the presenters' radio shows and Friday Night With Jonathan Ross would be replaced by "other programmes".
She had no more details about what the replacement programmes would be.
Here is a timeline of how events unfolded since the lewd calls were broadcast.
Saturday October 18 :: Calls made by Brand and Ross to Andrew Sachs and messages left on his answerphone are aired in pre-recorded sections on Brand's BBC Radio 2 evening show between 9pm and 11pm. It includes Ross telling the Fawlty Towers star Brand had slept with the actor's granddaughter Georgina Baillie and Brand joking he might kill himself.
Saturday October 25 :: As reporters prepare a story for the Mail on Sunday, Brand sings a light-hearted apology to Sachs on his radio show but says "it was quite funny" and replays some of the calls.
Sunday October 26 :: Newspapers report the fallout from the crude phone calls.
:: Sachs's agent Meg Poole says the actor is "upset" by the incident. She says she has emailed and written to the BBC to formally complain about the calls.
Monday October 27 :: The BBC apologises to Sachs for the "unacceptable and offensive" content of the calls. The corporation says it has launched a review.
:: Pressure group Mediawatch-UK calls for Brand and Ross to be taken off air while the BBC investigates.
:: The BBC reveals it has received more than 1,500 complaints. Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has also received complaints.
:: Sachs tells reporters he is angry but that the apology should be directed at his granddaughter.
Tuesday October 28 :: Conservative MP for Monmouth David Davies calls for the pair to be sacked.
:: Former BBC deputy director general Will Wyatt says "someone should take some pain" for what happened.
:: John Whittingdale, chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, stops short of calling for the DJs to be sacked but says an investigation should be carried out into editorial "failures".
:: Ofcom announces an investigation into the phone calls.
:: The BBC Trust asks for a report from BBC management on its investigations.
:: The BBC reveals complaints about Brand's show stands at 4,700.
:: A spokeswoman for Sachs says Ross sent flowers and a letter of apology to the actor.
:: Tory leader David Cameron adds his voice, calling for the BBC to be "transparent" about how the programme came to be broadcast.
:: A parliamentary motion condemning the phone calls is tabled by Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay and Tory MP Nigel Evans.
:: The BBC's director-general Mark Thompson comes under growing pressure from politicians to act.
:: Culture Secretary Andy Burnham welcomes the BBC Trust and Ofcom's inquiries.
:: At 5.30pm Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemns the pranks and describes Ross and Brand's phone calls as "inappropriate and unacceptable".
:: The BBC reveals that complaints topped the 10,000 mark by 6pm.
:: Sachs tells the BBC his granddaughter "feels very guilty" and that Ross personally delivered the letter and flowers to him.
:: At 10pm the Metropolitan Police confirms it has received complaints about the comments.
Wednesday October 29 :: Ms Baillie, 23, calls for Ross and Brand to be sacked. In an interview with The Sun, the aspiring model admits she has slept with Brand but labels the presenters "cruel sickos" for the messages.
:: The parliamentary motion criticising the calls is signed by 13 MPs, with others indicating they will back it.
:: Ross was understood to be filming his weekly BBC TV show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. Guests Sir David Attenborough, Disney star Miley Cyrus and comedian Frank Skinner were expected to attend.
:: At 11.30am the BBC announces it has suspended Ross and Brand. It also reveals the number of complaints has risen to 18,000. Describing the incident as a "gross lapse of taste", BBC Director-General Mark Thompson says: "I have decided that it is not appropriate for either Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross to continue broadcasting on the BBC until I have seen the full report of the actions of all concerned."
:: Brand's spokesman says the star is preparing to fly to the US to make films.
:: Tonight's recording of Friday Night With Jonathan Ross is cancelled, according to sources.
Here is the full statement from BBC director-general Mark Thompson confirming the suspension of Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand from broadcasting on the BBC:
"I would like to add my own personal and unreserved apology to Andrew Sachs, his family and to licence fee payers for the completely unacceptable broadcast on BBC Radio 2.
"BBC audiences accept that, in comedy, performers attempt to push the line of taste. However, this is not a marginal case.
"It is clear from the views expressed by the public that this broadcast has caused severe offence and I share that view.
"Since Sunday, I have been in regular contact with the senior executives I tasked with handling this issue.
"The investigation that I instructed Tim Davie to conduct is nearing completion, and I am returning to London to review the findings and, in the coming days, announce what action we will take.
"In the meantime, I have decided that it is not appropriate for either Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross to continue broadcasting on the BBC until I have seen the full report of the actions of all concerned.
"This gross lapse of taste by the performers and the production team has angered licence payers.
"I am determined that we satisfy them that any lessons will be learnt and appropriate action taken.
"I have been asked to report to the Trust's Editorial Standards Committee before the end of this week and will discuss with the Trust the findings of the report and the actions I propose."
