October 29, 200817 yr Brand quits BBC over prank calls Russell Brand has resigned from his Radio 2 programme following prank calls he made with Jonathan Ross to actor Andrew Sachs. It follows a public apology from Ross over his "juvenile and thoughtless remarks" in the calls. Earlier, it was announced the pair would be suspended and all their shows taken off air until the BBC has investigated the calls made on Radio 2. Fawlty Towers actor Sachs, 78, says he will not report the matter to police. Brand said in a statement that he took "complete responsibility" for the incident and that he got "caught up in the moment". Earlier, he told reporters waiting outside his home: "I'm sorry that I have upset Mr Sachs." He had presented his Saturday night show since November 2006 and is believed to have been paid more than £200,000 a year. Meanwhile, Ross said in his statement: "I am deeply sorry and greatly regret the upset and distress that my juvenile and thoughtless remarks on the Russell Brand show have caused." He said he had not issued a statement before because he had intended to apologise "to all those offended" on his Friday night chat show. "However, it was a stupid error of judgement on my part and I offer a full apology," it added. Sachs said he was "not surprised" by the BBC's suspension of the pair but added: "I am not going to take it anywhere. I'm not out for revenge." The calls were broadcast as part of Russell Brand's pre-recorded show on 18 October. During the calls, Ross swore and said Brand had slept with Sachs' granddaughter. More than 18,000 people have complained to the BBC while watchdog Ofcom has launched its own investigation. The corporation's governing body, the BBC Trust, has now called a special meeting of its editorial standards committee for Thursday. Director general Mark Thompson will report management findings to the meeting and tell bosses what action he plans to take. 'Breach of privacy' Announcing the suspensions in an earlier statement, Mr Thompson said he would be returning from a holiday and would "in the coming days, announce what action we will take". "Since Sunday, I have been in regular contact with the senior executives I tasked with handling this issue," he said. "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." He added his "own personal and unreserved apology to Andrew Sachs, his family and to licence fee payers for the completely unacceptable broadcast". BBC One show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was due to have been filmed at BBC Television Centre, west London, later on Wednesday. Guests on the show were to have been Sir David Attenborough, comedian Frank Skinner, US teen singer Miley Cyrus and band The Killers. The BBC said people with tickets to be in the audience should not attend. A decision has yet to be taken on what should be shown in its place on Friday night. Ross's Saturday morning radio show, as well as Brand's Saturday night radio show, have also been pulled from Radio 2's schedules. 'Lovely old man' Meanwhile, Ms Baillie, 23, told the Sun the pair should "pay for what they've done with their jobs". She said her grandfather was "really upset and says he wants the whole situation to end". "What's funny about humiliating a lovely old man who has never harmed anyone in his life?" she added. She said Brand and Ross were "beyond contempt". "It was bad enough that they recorded these things on my grandfather's answer machine but astonishing the BBC saw fit to broadcast it when they could have stopped it. "Someone high up at the BBC must have decided it was funny and suitable for national radio. They've shown an appalling lack of judgement." Prime Minister Gordon Brown criticised the pair for "inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour", while Conservative shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said in a speech on Wednesday that it was "wrong for broadcasters to produce programmes that legitimise negative social behaviour". He told BBC News the corporation's reaction to the affair was "concerning". Labour MP Sir Gerald Kaufman, former chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, said it was "essential for the BBC to ascertain quickly who was responsible for approving this pre-recorded episode". "This has not been handled well - clearly this should not have been broadcast in the first place and if Mr Thompson did not know about it then he needs to cut some heads off of the people that didn't let him know," he told BBC News. Sir Gerald added that if media regulator Ofcom were to fine the BBC for the incident, it should not be paid with licence payer's money. "If the BBC is fined I believe the two people involved should pay the fine and not the licence payers," he said. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7698417.stm
October 29, 200817 yr You couldn't sack just one of them - it would have to be both, and like Ian says, Jonathan Ross is too valuable to them. I wouldn't be surprised if they're both benched for a couple of weeks then Brand announces he's leaving ---------------------------------------------------------------- Hey, just seen Ian's update - I was close, huh?
October 29, 200817 yr Russell Brand has resigned from his Radio 2 programme following prank calls he made with Jonathan Ross to actor Andrew Sachs. It follows a public apology from Ross over his "juvenile and thoughtless remarks" in the calls. Earlier, it was announced the pair would be suspended and all their shows taken off air until the BBC has investigated the calls made on Radio 2. Fawlty Towers actor Sachs, 78, says he will not report the matter to police. Brand said in a statement that he took "complete responsibility" for the incident and that he got "caught up in the moment". Earlier, he told reporters waiting outside his home: "I'm sorry that I have upset Mr Sachs." He had presented his Saturday night show since November 2006 and is believed to have been paid more than £200,000 a year. Meanwhile, Ross said in his statement: "I am deeply sorry and greatly regret the upset and distress that my juvenile and thoughtless remarks on the Russell Brand show have caused." He said he had not issued a statement before because he had intended to apologise "to all those offended" on his Friday night chat show. "However, it was a stupid error of judgement on my part and I offer a full apology," it added. Sachs said he was "not surprised" by the BBC's suspension of the pair but added: "I am not going to take it anywhere. I'm not out for revenge." The calls were broadcast as part of Russell Brand's pre-recorded show on 18 October. During the calls, Ross swore and said Brand had slept with Sachs' granddaughter. More than 18,000 people have complained to the BBC while watchdog Ofcom has launched its own investigation. The corporation's governing body, the BBC Trust, has now called a special meeting of its editorial standards committee for Thursday. Director general Mark Thompson will report management findings to the meeting and tell bosses what action he plans to take. 'Breach of privacy' Announcing the suspensions in an earlier statement, Mr Thompson said he would be returning from a holiday and would "in the coming days, announce what action we will take". "Since Sunday, I have been in regular contact with the senior executives I tasked with handling this issue," he said. "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." He added his "own personal and unreserved apology to Andrew Sachs, his family and to licence fee payers for the completely unacceptable broadcast". BBC One show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was due to have been filmed at BBC Television Centre, west London, later on Wednesday. Guests on the show were to have been Sir David Attenborough, comedian Frank Skinner, US teen singer Miley Cyrus and band The Killers. The BBC said people with tickets to be in the audience should not attend. A decision has yet to be taken on what should be shown in its place on Friday night. Ross's Saturday morning radio show, as well as Brand's Saturday night radio show, have also been pulled from Radio 2's schedules. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7698417.stm :cry: nooooooooo! :(
October 29, 200817 yr Oooh Brand has gone. Wossy will be back though, the BBC would be insane to sack him.
October 29, 200817 yr Author Meet Voluptua, the burlesque dancer and goth at the centre of the BBC radio prank The 23-year-old granddaughter of Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs has been revealed as a member of a raunchy burlesque dance group. Aspiring actress Georgina Baillie, who goes by the stage-name Voluptua, was thrust into the limelight after Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross broadcast blunt phone calls made to her 78-year-old grandfather on a BBC Radio 2 programme. She was on a European tour with the burlesque dance group - the Satanic Sluts - but cut short the trip following the public humiliation. The dancer, who lives in North London, has not confirmed or denied whether she has had a sexual relationship with Brand - which was the focus of the messages left on Mr Sach's answerphone - but it appears that he is at least known to Miss Baillie. The comedian is nominated as her 'Top Friend' on MySpace and he made mention of her Gothic performance group on air in recent months. She uses the stage name Voluptua and has posed for provocative photographs in the past which are displayed on the group's website. Satanic Sluts is made up of four female goths. They have performed at Glastonbury in the past with routines that boast a theatrical 'cheerleader massacre, voodoo sacrifice, vampire brutality and much much more'. The group's website states: 'Keep a look out if you are hungry for some blood, guts, gore, sexy striptease and slutty activity.' On MySpace Miss Baillie lists her marital status as 'swinger', and includes 'pretty men with tattoos' as among her interests. She wrote: 'I like to party, I don't care if you call me a 'waster' or even a 'groupie' because I am having more fun than you and living this way makes me happy.' Miss Baillie has ambitions to follow in her famous grandfather's footsteps into the world of acting, and recently played a prostitute/glamour model in a high profile TV pilot comedy/drama called 'Trollops of Threadneedle Street'. Speaking about the controversy, she said: 'I’ve only just got back from Vienna this afternoon. 'I was aware of what happened but just need some time to get my head together now. ‘I don’t want to say anything more until I’ve had a chance to speak to my agent. 'I’ve not had an apology from Russell Brand but I would like one.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1081087/Meet-Voluptua-burlesque-dancer-goth-centre-BBC-radio-prank.html
October 29, 200817 yr Meet Voluptua, the burlesque dancer and goth at the centre of the BBC radio prank The 23-year-old granddaughter of Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs has been revealed as a member of a raunchy burlesque dance group. Aspiring actress Georgina Baillie, who goes by the stage-name Voluptua, was thrust into the limelight after Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross broadcast blunt phone calls made to her 78-year-old grandfather on a BBC Radio 2 programme. She was on a European tour with the burlesque dance group - the Satanic Sluts - but cut short the trip following the public humiliation. The dancer, who lives in North London, has not confirmed or denied whether she has had a sexual relationship with Brand - which was the focus of the messages left on Mr Sach's answerphone - but it appears that he is at least known to Miss Baillie. The comedian is nominated as her 'Top Friend' on MySpace and he made mention of her Gothic performance group on air in recent months. She uses the stage name Voluptua and has posed for provocative photographs in the past which are displayed on the group's website. Satanic Sluts is made up of four female goths. They have performed at Glastonbury in the past with routines that boast a theatrical 'cheerleader massacre, voodoo sacrifice, vampire brutality and much much more'. The group's website states: 'Keep a look out if you are hungry for some blood, guts, gore, sexy striptease and slutty activity.' On MySpace Miss Baillie lists her marital status as 'swinger', and includes 'pretty men with tattoos' as among her interests. She wrote: 'I like to party, I don't care if you call me a 'waster' or even a 'groupie' because I am having more fun than you and living this way makes me happy.' Miss Baillie has ambitions to follow in her famous grandfather's footsteps into the world of acting, and recently played a prostitute/glamour model in a high profile TV pilot comedy/drama called 'Trollops of Threadneedle Street'. Speaking about the controversy, she said: 'I’ve only just got back from Vienna this afternoon. 'I was aware of what happened but just need some time to get my head together now. ‘I don’t want to say anything more until I’ve had a chance to speak to my agent. 'I’ve not had an apology from Russell Brand but I would like one.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1081087/Meet-Voluptua-burlesque-dancer-goth-centre-BBC-radio-prank.html woah!, anyway, I have heard that she HAS CONFIRMED she was in a sexual relationship with Brand!
October 29, 200817 yr Ant & Dec got fired by the Beeb on the grounds of making obscene comments and it hardly killed their careers... Ha really? What did they say? The girl in question is a burlesque dancer who calls herself a satanic slut FFS. The crime here is that RB actually slept with her.
October 29, 200817 yr here is a sentence i'd never thought i'd say "its' all manuel's fault!" i know its not but it just seemed like a surreal sentence :smug:
October 29, 200817 yr [ame=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=f3mql03LvTk]YouTube - Russell Brand resigns[/ame] Brand's resignation statement
October 30, 200817 yr ^ Arrrr, that statement seemed really genuine actuallly, and, as you said it does seem to be Jonathan Ross, I heard the show on youtube and I actually found it quite funny and not as bad as people are making it out to be...but, Russelll was really nice in that as he was defending Jonathan Ross.
October 30, 200817 yr ^ Arrrr, that statement seemed really genuine actuallly, and, as you said it does seem to be Jonathan Ross, I heard the show on youtube and I actually found it quite funny and not as bad as people are making it out to be...but, Russelll was really nice in that as he was defending Jonathan Ross. it was genuine! didnt just seem it russell is an unbelievably nice guy..and so is jonathan..they just got all excited like two little kids :lol:
October 30, 200817 yr it was genuine! didnt just seem it russell is an unbelievably nice guy..and so is jonathan..they just got all excited like two little kids :lol: yeah!, actually, I really feel sorry for them now! :cry:, and Manuel is not bothered so let's just leave it and bring back brand! :D
October 30, 200817 yr JUST HEARED ON NEWS: Jonathan Ross Has been suspended for 12 weeks WITHOUT PAY! GOOD! :P
October 30, 200817 yr But it's perfectly acceptable for the BBC to broadcast racism in the name of comedy? I'm more offended by the BBC's decision to show an old lady throwing up when she realises a cookie she has just eaten was baked by an Asian girl (Little Britain), than someone telling an old man that his colleague had sexual intercourse with his satanic slut of a grand-daughter. What a FUCKING joke.
October 30, 200817 yr I think you miss the joke there, the joke isn't LOL ASIANS, ypou are supposed to be laughing at the ignorance of the woman Little Britain is so shit though
October 30, 200817 yr They didn't HAVE to make that particular sketch though, but they did. Casual racists. I agree that it is a s**t show though.
October 30, 200817 yr What are you on about, they aren't laughing at or mocking a minority, they are mocking the attitude that racists have, they are basically saying Racism is stupid. On a side note, what does staring out 2 letters of a swear word achieve, you still swore and it's easy to see what you were saying, so what was the point?
October 30, 200817 yr I disagree but heigh ho. No idea. Does it offend you that I did use stars? SHIT SHIT SHIT!
October 30, 200817 yr Oh wow, that video of Russell Brand apologizing was actually pretty classy. Not used to seeing that sort of thing.
October 31, 200817 yr Chris, I see your point about the Little Britain stuff (I actually liked some of their stuff, but not that particular sketch) Si, I thought you were supportive of them both? How come you're now cheering on Ross being suspended. Personally, I'm sick of the whole thing. Seriously, are there not more important things going on in the world right now???
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