So this is what we pay the licence fee for?

[Grumpmeister]

So we pay our licence fees to fund this pair of arseholes making abusive phone calls to a member of the public on a program. 

They should be sacked immediately for gross misconduct!

Ofcom says it is going to launch an investigation into Russell Brand's prank telephone calls to actor Andrew Sachs during his Radio 2 show.

The star was called four times by Brand and guest Jonathan Ross on a pre-recorded show broadcast on 18 October.

Ofcom said all BBC broadcasters must adhere to its broadcasting code, which sets standards for the content of TV and radio programmes in the UK.

The BBC apologised to Mr Sachs on Monday for the "unacceptable" calls.

Sachs' agent said the Fawlty Towers star "very upset" after Brand and Ross left lewd messages about the actor's granddaughter, 23-year-old Georgina Baillie, on his voicemail.

Review

Brand himself apologised for the offence on his latest show.

A Radio 2 spokeswoman said on Monday the BBC was "reviewing how this came about" and apologised to listeners for any offence caused.

As of Tuesday morning, the BBC said it had received more than 4,700 complaints.

A spokesman for the BBC Trust, the corporation's governing body, said its editorial standards committee had requested a report from BBC management on the incident.

"The Trust will await this report before commenting further and without prejudice to any complaints on appeal it might receive in due course," he added.

Controls

Meanwhile, a senior MP has told Radio 5 Live that the BBC must ensure this type of incident does not happen again.

"It raises far more serious questions about the controls in place to stop this kind of thing happening and the BBC needs to look at that to ensure it can't occur," John Whittingdale, chairman of the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee, said.

"This was a programme that was pre-recorded and was listened to and we're told that editorial staff had decided that it was suitable for broadcast.

"That does seem to be utterly extraordinary - I cannot see how the controls could've broken down so badly and this is something the BBC needs to look into.

"The BBC needs to think about whether they want to go on spending this amount of money on individuals who are repeatedly found to be in breach of what are universally held as the acceptable standards of broadcasting," he added.

Ofcom's broadcasting code states that in applying generally accepted standards, broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence - including offensive language - is justified by the context.

[Nick]

Russel Brand and Ross are overpaid wankers.

Brand, in particular, is a prime candidate for being hung from alamp post.

[Uncle Mort]

The granddaughter in question:

[Barman]

I'd be interested to hear Uncle Mort's views on the subject... 

[Nick]

The granddaughter in question:

 

Still doesn't justify what they did

[Uncle Mort]

I'd be interested to hear Uncle Mort's views on the subject... 

I'm sure you already know. 

[Bar Wench]

How on earth did this get past?

[Barman]

I'd be interested to hear Uncle Mort's views on the subject... 

I'm sure you already know. 

But for our readership here like...? 

[Grumpmeister]

How on earth did this get past?

That is one of the things that OFCOM are going to be investigating. Either someone buggered up the sign off for the show or there wasnt any editorial control before it was broadcast.

[Uncle Mort]

I'd be interested to hear Uncle Mort's views on the subject... 

I'm sure you already know. 

But for our readership here like...? 

It was probably a bit of an ill-chosen and off the cuff remark but not deserving of all the self-righteous cant that's been bandied about.

[Nick]

I disagree entirely. If some talentelss overpaid c*nt calledme up and left messages about my (hypothetical) granddaughter which was then broadcast on the BBC I would be f*cking incandescent!

[Bar Wench]

I could agree with Uncle Mort if it has been a live show and a one off in the heat of the moment, but four calls, on a recorded show, that has to be passed by an editorial board? I can't believe that no one mentioned that it was in bad taste!

[Barman]

But isn't this entertainment for the masses... I bet the audience laughed their pathetic little heads off at this...  

We all know that JR is a complete, talentless wanker yet he remains popular... I think the BBC are (sadly) giving the audience just what they want...

It is all TV (and the radio) for the non-thinking these days... I'm fed up with being spoon fed like I've an IQ of seven... I'm fed up of having a film of somebody putting petrol in their car every time the oil price is mentioned just in case I can't work out what it is all about...

I think the Big Issue here is the state of the nation, not so much the state of Jonathan Woss..  

[Uncle Mort]

The granddaughter in question:

 

Still doesn't justify what they did

Maybe not but I reckon there's a good chance that Brand has had sex with her.

She's no little shrinking violet after all.

Miss Baillie said last night: 'I've only just got back.
'I was aware of what happened but I 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.'

Miss Baillie, who lives in North London, would not confirm or deny whether she had ever had a sexual relationship with Brand.

But the comedian is nominated as her 'Top Friend' on her MySpace page and he has mentioned her Gothic performance group on air in recent months.
Miss Baillie lists her marital status as 'swinger' on MySpace and includes 'pretty men with tattoos' among her interests.

All good publicity.

[Nick]

Unless you have received "On Air" obscene phone calls about her