Jonathan Ross publicly apologised this evening for the lewd phone messages he and Russell Brand left for the actor Andrew Sachs.
Ruseell Brand quit his Radio 2 show and Jonathan Ross publicly apologised this evening for the lewd phone messages the pair left for the actor Andrew Sachs.
In his statement Ross said: "I am deeply sorry and greatly regret the upset and distress that my juvenile and thoughtless remarks on the Russell Brand show have caused.
"I have not issued a statement previously because it was my intention and desire to offer an apology to all those offended on my Friday night programme."
The BBC pulled the plug on the Friday Night With Jonathan Ross show just hours before it was due to be recorded tonight. It has suspended Ross and Brand.
Ross's apology was issued through law firm Schillings.
Brand said he took "complete responsibility" for the incident and that he got "caught up in the moment".Former heroin addict Brand has presented his Radio 2 show since November 2006 and is thought to be paid more than £200,000 a year by the BBC.
He said: "I have apologised to Andrew Sachs for the rude messages I left on October 18 and he has graciously accepted.
"As I only do the radio show to make people laugh I've decided that given the subsequent coverage I will stop doing the show.
"I've loved working for the BBC and am very proud of the shows myself, Matt Morgan, Nic Philps, Mr Gee and Noel Gallagher have made and I apologise to all of them for damaging their careers - except Noel, whose band are doing quite well.
"I got a bit caught up in the moment and forgot that at the core of the rude comments and silly songs were the real feelings of a beloved and brilliant comic actor and a very sweet and big hearted young woman.
"Apologies are also owed to the loyal listeners of the show who enjoyed its shambolic spirit and anarchy and will be upset that it cannot continue.
"I take complete responsibility and offer nothing but love and contrition and I hope that now Jonathan and the BBC will endure less forensic wrath.
"Hare Krishna."
Mr Sachs tonight said of Brand's decision to quit his BBC radio show: "I respect his decision. I hope he moves forward, I really hope he does."
Earlier he had said he was "not surprised" Ross and Brand had been suspended by the BBC over their prank calls to him.
And he confirmed he was not planning to take the matter up with the police.
He said the pair had got it "badly wrong" and made a "poor team", but he was not seeking revenge.
Mr Sachs was speaking on his return to his home in Kilburn, north London, just hours before the pair made their statements and Brand quit.
Asked his reaction to the news of their suspensions he said: "I'm not surprised."
Asked if he was going to take the matter up with the police, he said: "I'm not going to take it anywhere, I'm not out for revenge."
Asked if he thought the BBC should have suspended the pair earlier, he said: "I wasn't counting the time, if it happens, it happens. If they are slow on it, it's a problem someone else has to take up."
He said the matter was "very upsetting" not just for himself, but for his wife who is ill in hospital and other members of his family.
"I'm very sorry it happened," he said.
"These things happen, people get things wrong, in this case they got it badly wrong."
Asked about a full transcript of the pair's remarks made public today, he said: "I haven't read the full transcript, but I've heard about some of it and it sounds ghastly.
"How can grown-up, mature people do it? It's a very poor team, the two of them, if that's the result of it."
Asked if he thought the BBC should make an example of them, he said: "That's up to the BBC, I'm neutral about it, I dare say the two of them are shattered, and the director nervous.
"They may recover from it, and be all the better for it."
Asked how he would feel if they were reinstated, he said: "I would have nothing more to say about it. That's up to other people. Whatever happens to them, they don't need me to add to it."
He was asked about confirmation today that his granddaughter had a relationship with Brand.
He said: "She's a grown-up woman, that's her choice, what grandfather tells his granddaughter what to do?"
Asked if he was angry that the pair had not apologised to his granddaughter, he said: "Maybe they have. They haven't that I know of, but they have both apologised to me, sent very nice letters and flowers. I think they should apologise to her."
He confirmed that items from the prank calls to his answer phone had been broadcast on Brand's show on Radio 2 without his approval.
Asked what he thought the affair showed of the BBC, and whether it had deteriorated, he said: "In some ways it's better, there's some very good stuff on. Everybody goes for the extreme these days, for example people use swear words to excess, everything's extreme."
