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Ross may not return to BBC - Wogan
01.11.08
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Disgraced presenter Jonathan Ross may not return to the BBC at all after his three-month ban, fellow broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan has predicted.
Ross has been suspended without pay for his role in making lewd phone calls to Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs and, on Friday, his career suffered another blow when he stepped down as host of the British Comedy Awards.
Radio 2 breakfast show host Sir Terry said the suspension of Ross - which will cost him £1.5 million in salary - diminished "not just him but also his reputation".
He told the Daily Telegraph: "What the BBC has done to Jonathan by the suspension is terminal. It is very damaging to him and I would not be surprised if he did not come back."
Fellow Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine questioned how Ross could return to the station at the end of his suspension. He said: "It will be interesting to see how he manages given the damage to this radio station. I'm going to be interested to see that - I'm not quite sure how it's going to work."
Ross's regular Radio 2 slot is being presented by Richard Allinson.
The announcement that Ross is stepping down as Comedy Awards host came during preparations for a lavish Halloween party at his multi-million-pound home in Hampstead, north London.
Guests included comedians Jack Dee and Alan Carr, Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles and boxer Chris Eubank. There were also hundreds of children, but Ross did not make an appearance.
Next month's Comedy Awards would have been the presenter's 17th year in the role. He was reported to be pocketing £100,000 for the ceremony, broadcast by ITV and watched by about 10 million viewers.
Comedian Jimmy Carr, who was seen entering Ross's home on Friday, is being tipped as favourite to take the job.
Reader views (10)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Mr Ross and his mindless prank is indicative of modern day behaviourism amongst morons with a lesser stature in society. With this in mind, should he not be prevented from influencing impressionable people into believing that as long as it's perceived as funny it's ok to hurt people in this way. Where is it all leading...
- Steve Jeanes, Eastbourne, UK
perhaps the BBC should donate the loss in wages to children in need, im sure jonathan ross would agree to that, as its a worthwhile cause
- John, hornchurch
Why oh why oh why does everyone and his dog jump on the bandwagon. Yes they made a stupid mistake, but, Sachs was supposed to be answering the phone, so where was he, surley that is breach of contract!!! If he was prepared to go on the show, he must know what Brand and Ross are like, I do and that is why I don't listen to/watch their shows. I think this has been blown compeltely out of proportion. Roz, get real, give him a heart attack, surley his granddaughter in her clothes and using the names Voluptua and Satanic Sluts would give him a heart attack, and if England is your beloved homeland, why are you living in France?
- E Sullivan, London
The BBC's actions are ludicrous!
What kind of precedent have they NOW set in relation to this matter? What! Anyone else in the future with similar behaviour will now simply be suspended for 12 weeks? For Gross Misconduct this is absolutely absurd!
Persumably there are "employment contracts" at the BBC? What do these "contracts" explicitly state in relation to what has gone on?
- Fraser, Telford Park
£1million? It's just peanuts for that ape.
- Alex, London
1. I'm ********ed if I can see how Jonathon Ross, witty as he is, is worth £6million per year, but if he is it should be paid by ITV or Channel 4 who recoup the money from advertising.
2. The BBC should not be 'competing' for viewers: it is paid for by the public and should be broadcasting useful and educational programmes - SABC in South Africa, for example, broadcastes GCSE and A Level maths lessons.
3. Even leaving the messages on the phone could have given a man that age a heart attack: Brand should have apologised unreservedly immediately - as it is, his wiffling apology repeatedly includes the word 'BUT!'
Finally, sitting as I am abroad watching my beloved homeland flush itself down the toilet, I cannot help wondering where Lord Mandelson is in all this? The master of the spin must be hugging himself and the rest of the Government that at a time of economic melt-down for which they have made no previsions, the public is focussed on this!
- Roz, Chamonix, France
This all might seem a storm in a teacup, but for the unspoken issue that hovers over it, namely: what is licence-funded TV for if it only sponsors foul-mouthed trivia? There are a lot of careers at stake here: a lot of helpful people must have been leaving pistols in Ms Douglas' desk drawer.
- Mdj, Leyton, e10 london
Sorry not enough! After what he did he should be banned for life given how when you take on a job like broadcasting you have a responsibility to use the access to specialist broadcasting equipment in a responsible way. Even more in this case as the equipment is owned by the people and not a private company.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Glad she's gone. It's only fair.
- Concerned, Caerleon, South Wales
What he did was disgusting, but, the amount of "moral outrage" seems disproportionate. I've read the transcript of the prank call and it's just stupid and juvenille. No one could take seriously. Make him pay some fine and move on.
- Jim, Chicago, IL USA
