Russell Brand resigns but tries to save Jonathan Ross

Thursday, 30 October 2008

In resigning from his BBC Radio 2 show last night, Russell Brand took complete blame for what the media has dubbed "Manuelgate".

Brand's prank calls he made with Jonathan Ross to former Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs have seemingly enraged the public, with over 30,000 licence-fee payers complaining about their lewd antics.

And whilst it took a while for Jonathan Ross to issue a public apology over his "juvenile and thoughtless remarks" following the pair's BBC suspension yesterday, Russell Brand released a video statement announcing his resignation from the Beeb.

But he insisted Ross was not to blame for the scandal and took complete responsibility for the incident in which the pair spoke of Brand's sexual adventures with 78 year-old Sachs's granddaughter Georgina Bailie.

Brand said: "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," he said.

He added: "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."

"I'm very proud to have worked for the BBC and whilst I won't be working for the BBC any more, I want to say that Jonathan Ross is a great broadcaster, and what he did, whilst silly, was not malicious, he's not a malicious man, he's a kind, gentle family man who did something that was a little bit silly."

Ross, meanwhile, 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 revealed he was going to apologise "to all those offended" on his Friday night chat show but having been suspended he could not do so.

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