This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/entertainment/7702309.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ross pulls out of Comedy Awards | Ross pulls out of Comedy Awards |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Jonathan Ross has stepped down from presenting the 2008 British Comedy Awards, ITV1 has announced. | Jonathan Ross has stepped down from presenting the 2008 British Comedy Awards, ITV1 has announced. |
| The broadcaster said it backed the presenter's decision in the wake of the Radio 2 row concerning prank calls made to Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs. | The broadcaster said it backed the presenter's decision in the wake of the Radio 2 row concerning prank calls made to Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs. |
| Ross, 47, has been suspended from all BBC programmes for 12 weeks without pay as a result of the calls, which were made on Russell Brand's Radio 2 show. | Ross, 47, has been suspended from all BBC programmes for 12 weeks without pay as a result of the calls, which were made on Russell Brand's Radio 2 show. |
| The British Comedy Awards are set to be broadcast live on ITV1 on 6 December. | The British Comedy Awards are set to be broadcast live on ITV1 on 6 December. |
| The ceremony is expected to go ahead, though no decision has been made over who will replace him. | The ceremony is expected to go ahead, though no decision has been made over who will replace him. |
| The awards are in their 18th year and this would have been Ross's 17th year as host. | The awards are in their 18th year and this would have been Ross's 17th year as host. |
| 'Full support' | 'Full support' |
| It had been reported that Ross would receive at least £100,000 for presenting the ceremony. | It had been reported that Ross would receive at least £100,000 for presenting the ceremony. |
| Jimmy Carr said Ross was a "national treasure" | |
| A spokesman for the entertainer said the British Comedy Awards was "a show he very much enjoys being part of." | A spokesman for the entertainer said the British Comedy Awards was "a show he very much enjoys being part of." |
| However, he added, Ross did "not want his participation in this year's event to take away from the awards themselves or the many talented winners". | However, he added, Ross did "not want his participation in this year's event to take away from the awards themselves or the many talented winners". |
| Peter Fincham, ITV's director of television, said his decision had been made "with the full support of ITV and the show's producers". | Peter Fincham, ITV's director of television, said his decision had been made "with the full support of ITV and the show's producers". |
| Last year's ceremony was not shown on TV following a phone-in voting irregularity which was uncovered on the 2005 show. | Last year's ceremony was not shown on TV following a phone-in voting irregularity which was uncovered on the 2005 show. |
| Viewers had been invited to vote in a section of the show which was broadcast with a half-hour time delay, despite the fact the winner had already been announced at the event. | Viewers had been invited to vote in a section of the show which was broadcast with a half-hour time delay, despite the fact the winner had already been announced at the event. |
| Ross provoked fury among the BBC's senior management by joking during last year's show that his £6 million annual salary was "worth 1,000 BBC journalists". | Ross provoked fury among the BBC's senior management by joking during last year's show that his £6 million annual salary was "worth 1,000 BBC journalists". |
| 'Good broadcaster' | |
| Meanwhile, at Ross's home on Friday morning, preparations were taking place for the star's annual Halloween party. | Meanwhile, at Ross's home on Friday morning, preparations were taking place for the star's annual Halloween party. |
| Asked whether Ross would be at the party, his wife, author Jane Goldman, said: "It's my children's Halloween party." | Asked whether Ross would be at the party, his wife, author Jane Goldman, said: "It's my children's Halloween party." |
| Comedian Jimmy Carr, who was seen entering the Hampstead home, expressed his support for Ross, saying the issue had been been blown out of proportion and that Ross was a "national treasure". | Comedian Jimmy Carr, who was seen entering the Hampstead home, expressed his support for Ross, saying the issue had been been blown out of proportion and that Ross was a "national treasure". |
| It will be interesting to see how he manages given the damage to this radio station Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine | |
| Speaking on Radio 4's The World At One, film producer and Channel 4 deputy chairman Lord Puttnam also gave his support for the presenter saying: "I like Jonathan Ross, he's a good broadcaster and a nice man. | |
| "The biggest problem is the sheer breadth of what he's being asked to do - he's being urged to pretend he's 25." | |
| Fellow Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine said he thought Ross would find returning from his BBC suspension difficult. | |
| "It will be interesting to see how he manages given the damage to this radio station," he told BBC News. | |
| "I'm going to be interested to see that - I'm not quite sure how it's going to work." |