Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand suspended from BBC

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Originally Posted by Trinity

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Originally Posted by Abbie

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Originally Posted by Jojo

I do wonder though - if this happened to you or me - us "normal" members of the public, would this kind of treatment/outcry etc be happening - I think not.

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It wouldnt have, we probably wouldnt even heard about it

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The only reason we heard about this is because they played it over the radio.....

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But it wasn't just because of that though. It was because the media found out about it, then publicised it more, then you had people posting on youtube (and i've seen and heard far worse things on youtube I have to say) and then apart from the 2 people that listened to the actual show and complained, those that heard about it on the news then decided to complain - two weeks after the show was broadcast.

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Originally Posted by Trinity

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Originally Posted by Abbie

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Originally Posted by Jojo

I do wonder though - if this happened to you or me - us "normal" members of the public, would this kind of treatment/outcry etc be happening - I think not.

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It wouldnt have, we probably wouldnt even heard about it

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The only reason we heard about this is because they played it over the radio.....

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Yeah but even if t was on the radio and it happened it someone well normal, I still have my doubts whether it would have made big news, its only become bog news cos its happened to someone famous

What I mean is they put it into the public domain.

And, yes there is a lot more interest in it but not only because they are 'celebs'.

They are highly paid employees of a publicly funded broadcasting company, i.e. we pay their salary, and to be honest i think that this point is the one that exasperates so many people. We are paying them, and we are paying for the phone bill and we are paying for it to be broadcast.

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Originally Posted by Abbie

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Originally Posted by Trinity

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Originally Posted by Abbie

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Originally Posted by Jojo

I do wonder though - if this happened to you or me - us "normal" members of the public, would this kind of treatment/outcry etc be happening - I think not.

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It wouldnt have, we probably wouldnt even heard about it

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The only reason we heard about this is because they played it over the radio.....

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Yeah but even if t was on the radio and it happened it someone well normal, I still have my doubts whether it would have made big news, its only become bog news cos its happened to someone famous

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To be honest I don't think that who they did it to is the main issue.

It is who did it.

I have to agree with Abbie though I'm afraid.

If it were you or me that had this happen to them, no one would give a toss. They really wouldn't, whether we, the taxpayer, pays their wages or not.

Out of interest - how many people actually listened to the actual broadcast? And out of that many people, 2 complained. How many people here listened to the broadcast on the day? And how many of us, would have known anything about it, had the media not got hold of the story and publicised it.

Its not the point, and I've never said that I've agreed with anything the pair of them did, but the BBC know full well what they are both like. Their listeners know what they are like. The programme was aired without being edited - first problem. And two weeks after it happens, all hell breaks loose, from people who didn't listen to the show in the first place.

And I know that isn't the point, but I think it makes a huge difference that it was Andrew Sachs and his granddaughter involved and not plain old Joe Bloggs.

In the newspaper today there was a fresh public outcry at a comment on the queen made on mock the week and how television is getting 'obscene'. What made me laugh is the programme was made 21 months ago and its only being bought up now! No one cared at the time...

I know what JR and Brand did was of order but to be honest there's plenty of other shows that insult people, e.g. little britain and there's no public outcry at many of the types of society they've portrayed like that woman who goes around licking people or that person who goes around throwing up on people. I don't like JR because his shows boring and Brand I can give or take but I think they've been singled out where really the person who let it be broadcast it is just as much to blame - surely they listened to the show before letting it go on air?and I agree its been blown way out of proportion. The only difference I can see between this and other shows is they left messages on the answering machine. I bet if they'd just insulted that family on air they wouldn't have got punished as much.

I dont agree with that they did but stories like this just go to show that us 'normal' people really arent treated the same as celebs, im sure there have been pranks on people like us before, possibly on the radio or stuff, but we have never heard of them and if it has happened well then it hasnt concerned the media
what makes this so big are a) the people that did it b) the people who it was done too.
I never heard it on the day, I only heard about it the other day when I have in car for ages and on the radio they were talking about all the time in the news slots and asking people text in their thoughts

I think what also makes a difference is that this was an actual phone call made, not just standing there and taking the mick. It is different just talking about/mimicking others but even Jeremy Beadle was never this vindictive when he did "You have been framed" or the pranks on Candid Camera, imo.

I feel like ringing up BBC/the newspapers/media whatever - and ****ing complaining for the complete and utter sham this has all become :rolleyes:
STOP GOING ON ABOUT IT (the news and stuff - i'm not digging at people on here, as i am here commenting!) - and all this about bringing up Mock the Week - Its FUNNY, the whole point of the show is 'mocking the weekly news' ... and if they aren't allowed to do that then surely the show loses its point.

This is like all that political correctness that has gone completly INSANE!

Oh and i'm with Abbie, If they had done this to 'normal' people NO ONE would care - especially not the police - come off it, we live in a celebrity obsessed society :rolleyes:

Anyone else watching have I got news for you? :lol:

Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand.
Punishment out of proportion with the supposed crime!
After all only 2 people complained when it was broadcast.
The granddaughter is an erotic dancer, just out for the publicityand should thank JR and RB for the exposure she's been given.
Andrew Sachs is a celebrity and so should expect that kind of treatment.
Have a sense of humour ,"Andy mate".

The quick response to these views is B*****ks

The other response is slightly longer, So dig in,put kettle on for a cup of Tea or Coffee, refill your glass, raid the fridge or biscuit barrel for some goodies,

Ready! Comfy! here we go!!!!

Imagine this scenario:
You have just got home after work, your grand daughter was supposed to meet you but was out dancing that night.


"I'll just check the answerphone, to see if G left a message about tonight".

CLICK; "hello Mr S
R and J here"
"I *********d your grand daughter G, but don't worry I used a condom and she wasn't menstruating"
"oops we might have upset you, so we are coming over to break into your place, whilst your asleep and give you a hand job , to cheer you up."

Even if you knew who left the message, I doubt you'd find it funny.
Threatening, scary, or just childish and juvenile rubbish.
But Not Funny!!!!

Maybe your wife got to the answerphone first, She definitely would not have found it FUNNY!!!
Disgusted, shocked and now fearful that some lunatics might come into the house one night.
Terrified and hysterical of being assaulted or worse in her bed at night.
But she certainly would not be AMUSED.

Then to compound the issue, these morons tell you they have recorded this message and they are going to play it to your work colleagues and anyone else who cares to listen.

Even though you voice your displeasure and ask them to refrain they still do it.

On the night only 2 people complain, many others disapproved but couldn't be bothered to phone up about it.


The perpetrators just sat there smugly guffawing, with their small band of like minded morons, totally oblivious of the
discomfort and annoyance they have caused. Aren't we clever and FUNNY!!


Not any kind of acceptable apology is made to you your grand daughter or family

NOW, TELL ME HAVE ROSS AND BRAND,BEEN UNFAIRLY TREATED.
AFTER ALL ONLY 2 PEOPLE COMPLAINED.

As I said before ; Have they B******ks!!!!!
(Funny how we show more decency on this forum, with regards to language and morality, then the BBC).

Okay all over, thank you for staying the whole trip.

All in all i think this has been blown way out of proportion no doubt by the Sachs family to get publicity for this ugly girl that wants to be a model. She has now sold her side of the story to the Sun saying how this could have ruined her "career". I know, i couldnt believe either. In all honesty this has probably made her career as no-one had even heard of her before this happened.

All the things said on the TV and radio by comedians and this is the thing that sparks complaints. Pathetic i say.

They rang him up and yeah said some distastful but true things about his grandaughter. But then the production team got in touch with him and he agreed for this to be aired as long as it was cut/ edited appropriately. The production team then decided to ignore him and show it anyway no way involving JR or RB in this at all.

So in my opinion yeah they shouldnt have said it but i dont think they should have got done because it was not their fault that it was aired.

And one last comment... I wonder what would have happened if it was just some ordinary person they rang up and not an old celeb. I bet none of this would have happened. No publicity, no suspension, nothing...

i love how Ross' new autobiography is called "Why Do I Say These Things?", oh the irony

His granddaughter is no innocent victim :thumbsdow

I miss the Jonathan Ross Show on TV it was one of the best shows on the BBC and Brand's character is soaring in the US so i doubt he minds

Manuelgate completely blown out of proportion

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Originally Posted by tammyy2j

His granddaughter is no innocent victim :thumbsdow

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She wasn't the victim. A 78 year old man was.

Right so the girl (im sorry i dont know her name) had said that she thought it was disgusting that RB had done this because she thought her grandad should not have been told sordid sexual things about her right.

Right so that thing i do agree with. Maybe they took it too far.

But now wait for it....

She...her..the one who said it was disgusting to reveal stuff like that... has once again sold her story talking about that very night of passion she had with RB and every sordid detail.

Now if you thought it was disgusting to reveal stuff like that because you didnt want family members knowing then would you sell your story?!?!?

Once again this just proves my theory that her and her family have done this for publicity.

Think of all the money she will have made for selling her story to the papers. That story that she thought her grandad should not know.

I am still at the opinion that the producers were at fault for all of this as they showed the footage. Sachs said it was fine to show it as long as it was cut appropriately and this was not done. So the blame lies with them.

And another thing... are we not allowed to joke anymore? Now Mock the Week may get done for saying something about the queen.
Im sorry but this really p**sed me off. The female newsreader on ITV said to some man from BBC. Do you think it was right for them to say "Im so old my P***y is haunted" and she went on to say "she is our manarch and shouldnt be made fun of in a vulgar way" (or summat like that) Now the thing that really made me mad was the fact that she said it though it was alright to make fun of old people as long as its not the queen. WHY? She is no different. And thats my point. Different treatment for different types of people.

And now Jeremy Clarkson has been getting complaints over something he said about murdering prostitutes. Again he was joking.

Maybe i should become one of these idiots thats make complaints when someone tells a joke. The next time someone tells a blonde joke on TV i will contact that channel and complaint saying i think its disgusting as i am blonde and found it unapropriate. Maybe the person will get sacked. Oh no wait they wont will they cos im not famous am i. Nevermind...

the girl is a moose. she as a publicist now- max clifford (he is free after kerry kraptona dumped him) she is getting her 15 seconds worth. apparently she has been approached about celebrity bb, the silly grl is just humiliating her grand-dad so much more who is the real victim of all this

Georgina Baillie has called for Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross to be reinstated by the BBC.

Andrew Sachs's granddaughter was at the centre of last week's Radio 2 phone prank row, which lead to Brand quitting the station and Ross being suspended by the broadcaster.

In an interview with The Sun, she claimed that both should pay for their behaviour by being axed.

However, during a new TV interview, the Satanic Sluts burlesque dance retracted her previous statement, arguing that the incident was blown "out of proportion".

"I was really angry when I said I wanted them both to be fired, but I think the suspension was good enough," she said. "So I'm feeling a bit gutted really about the whole thing.

"I think it's way out of proportion what's happened, and I don't hate either of them, I don't at all. I think they're really talented comedians and I think a world without Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand would be a very sad, dull place."

She argued that Brand needed to "learn a few lessons" about "respecting women", while Ross was advised to "think before he speaks".

She continued: "They made a mistake and they apologised to my granddad which was very important to me. And I hope that everyone can move on and that we can forget about this."

When asked about her future, Baillie commented: "I thought about doing modelling a few years ago but was told I was a bit too chunky for that, but now all of a sudden I'm not, so that's great."

Everyone hates her ... and she swallows her original words. Lost all respect dear, not that she had much anyway :rolleyes:

she is just a moose clinging on to her five seconds of fame

Jonathan Ross is facing fresh criticism today after appearing to joke about sex with an 80-year-old woman on his Radio 2 comeback show.

The broadcaster has returned to work this week after serving a three-month suspension from the BBC for his part in the Manuelgate scandal, which saw him leaving a series of lewd messages on the voicemail of Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.

In Ross's first radio show since the row yesterday, the host's producer Andy Davies told listeners that he had been grabbed by a "frisky" OAP as he worked in the garden of his villa in Spain.

Ross replied: "Eighty, oh God! I think you should, just for charity. Give her one last night, will you? One last night before the grave. Would it kill you?"

Davies's wife Abigail has since confirmed that the woman does exist, explaining: "It's very sad because she has Alzheimer's Disease. She takes a fancy to any man in the street and tries to kiss them."

Ross's comments, which were broadcast shortly after 10.00am, have since been condemned by Tory MP David Davies.

"On Radio 2 you don't expected X-rated references to sex, and especially sex with an 80-year-old, during the day," Mr. Davies explained. "[Ross] should have gone ages ago. There's no way this man should be on the air. He needs to be replaced now."

However, speaking outside his home yesterday evening, Ross insisted that his comments had been misinterpreted.

"I hope no one has been upset by the show," he told the News Of The World. "It was a kind of light-hearted remark about giving her a cuddle. It wasn't 'give her one' - I meant, 'Give her one last cuddle.' You know there was no malice intended. There was no harm intended, OK?"

Ofcom has fined the BBC £150,000 over its handling of the Andrew Sachs phone call controversy.

The TV regulator ruled that the Corporation had breached the Broadcasting Code on two occasions in deciding to air the incident, which involved radio hosts Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross leaving a series of lewd voicemail messages for the veteran actor.

Ofcom said that the broadcast had "unwarrantably and seriously infringed" the privacy of Sachs and his granddaughter Georgina Baillie - performer with the Satanic Sluts - and described the programme as "gratuitously offensive, humiliating and demeaning".

More to follow.

Jonathan Ross should pay the £150,000 fine imposed on the BBC over the Andrew Sachs phone call controversy, MPs have claimed.
The chatshow host left a series of lewd messages on Sachs's answerphone during an appearance on Russell Brand's Radio 2 show in October. He was later suspended without pay for three months, while Brand decided to resign from the corporation.
Broadcasting regulator Ofcom yesterday announced the record penalty after finding that Ross's behaviour was "gratuitously offensive, humiliating and demeaning".
Critics have now claimed that it would be wrong for programming funding to be cut as a result of Ross's stunt.
Liberal Democrat spokesman Don Foster told the Daily Mail: "This money should come out of Jonathan Ross's salary, so that broadcasting does not suffer as a consequence of this error."
Labour MP Gerald Kaufman added: "If one wants to see justice done, the fine should be directed at those that commit the fault, and in this case those who were responsible for allowing the material to be broadcast."
Meanwhile, Lord Rees Mogg, a former BBC governor, commented: "I think it would be a nice gesture if Jonathan Ross decided to pay the fine, or at least contribute. It is not fair that the BBC has to pay the fine, but they chose to hire him knowing the sort of entertainer he is."
However, a BBC spokesperson has dismissed the suggestion, insisting: "Jonathan Ross has already paid a significant financial penalty through being suspended without pay for three months. Ofcom's ruling is against the whole BBC, not one individual."

THE BBC’s £150,000 fine for the Sachsgate scandal cannot be demanded from Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross without a change in the law, it was revealed last night.
Watchdog Ofcom said it did not have the power to fine individuals after Cabinet Minister Hazel Blears suggested that the pair cough up the penalty for their phone prank.

The Beeb was given its biggest-ever fine for the “gratuitously offensive, humiliating and demeaning” treatment of Fawlty Towers legend Andrew Sachs, 78, and his grand-daughter Georgina Baillie.

Ross, 48, and Brand, 33, left the actor an answerphone message saying that Brand had slept with burlesque dancer Baillie, 23.

But it is the viewers who will have to foot the bill — as the money will come out of licence fee funds.

Ofcom’s statement came after Ms Blears told Radio 4: “Maybe Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand should pay it — that might be quite a good idea.”

Lib Dem Don Foster also demanded Ross pay the fine out of his £6million salary “so that broadcasting doesn’t suffer”.

Ofcom said it could only fine “the BBC and not individuals, to do so would require a change in the law”.

Why should JR or RB have to pay the fine anyway? The fine is for showing/ airing the footage not for doing it.

It was the producers or editors whatever that chose to show it not JR or RB.

while none of this would have happened if ross and brand hadnt left the message in the first place, its not just their fault, its also the bbcs fault for playing it as well. if they want to fine individuals rather than the bbc as a whole then i think the editor of the radio show should also contribute as well as ross and brand

But I begrudge paying fines for the BBC because they broadcast rude and offensive comments. :angry:

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Originally Posted by Perdita

But I begrudge paying fines for the BBC because they broadcast rude and offensive comments. :angry:

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thats why im saying that if they dont want the bbc as a whole to pay for it, then it needs to come out of the salaries of the other employees who allowed this to happen, not just ross and brand

Russell Brand has received fresh criticism from MPs following his attack on Jack Straw.

The comedian hit out at Straw after the politician claimed that he and Jonathan Ross should pay the £150,000 fine imposed on the BBC over the Andrew Sachs scandal.

Writing on his Twitter page, Brand commented: "I demand Jack Straw pays the 7bn pounds he squandered on the Iraq war that we didn't want."

Referring to the arrest of Straw's son for attempting to supply cannabis in 1997, he added: "No wonder his son has to toke himself to sleep."

MPs have now claimed that Brand has failed to take heed of the controversy which surrounded his treatment of Sachs last year.

Tory politician Ann Widdecombe told the Daily Mail: "The comments are outrageous and just show Brand has learnt nothing from the scandal."

Philip Davies, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, added: "It's just typical of this so-called comedian.

"He misjudged what people found funny last time, and he is no doubt trying his best to be humorous again. These comments show he just isn't."

Brand recently suggested that MPs are attempting to distract the public from the current row over their expenses.

At the end of the day, the BBC producers have the final say on what makes the cut and what doesn't. They are more to blame than Jonathon and Russell for sanctioning the airing of it.

They're all in it together. Jonathon and Russell have had their punishment, the producers and people who allowed this to go out should face similar disciplinary action.

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Originally Posted by Perdita

Writing on his Twitter page, Brand commented: "I demand Jack Straw pays the 7bn pounds he squandered on the Iraq war that we didn't want."

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i really dont like russell brand but that comment was pretty amusing!

JONATHAN Ross is fuming after BBC bosses banned him from broadcasting live, The Sun can reveal.
From today he must record his Radio 2 Saturday show 24 hours earlier — giving execs time to edit out anything offensive.

They acted after Ross, 48, was alleged to have made an anti-gay jibe on the show two weeks ago. He suggested parents put boys up for adoption if they ask for a Hannah Montana MP3 player, “before he brings his, erm, partner home”.

The remark came after the £18million star was suspended for three months over Sachsgate.

Wossy apologised over his latest gaffe, and denied being homophobic. But last night a Beeb source said it was the “final straw”. He added: “BBC bosses are fed up chewing their fingernails to the quick every Saturday, worried about what he’s going to say. By recording the show the day before they can edit out anything they reckon could cause offence.”

The move has upset Ross. An insider said: “Jonathan is not happy about this at all. He feels he’s been bounced into it by people who just want to have a go at him. He feared this would happen. Now it’s a reality.”

The quiz will stay on the show as bosses plan to "work out a way to keep it". But they will have to be careful how they do this as the corporation was heavily fined after it admitted making up competition callers on its radio shows in 2007.

The BBC said last night: "Pre-recording Jonathan's show enables us to ensure the programme is watertight in line with Compliance whilst attracting the best guests. It's common practice to pre-record radio programmes and both Radio 2 and Jonathan are very happy with the plan."

We revealed how BBC chiefs are planning to slash Ross's £18million deal by at least a quarter - losing him £4.5million.

About time too imo

but wasnt the show recorded that ross and brand did with the phone call and they didnt edit it out? (i might be wrong though) so what makes them think that recording it will make sure nothing offensive happens

You are right, their show was not edited before it was broadcast. But now they are going to check it even before that stage, I suppose.