Jonathan Ross may face further disciplinary action

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He may have been suspended from duty for three months, but it seems Jonathan Ross is not off the hook yet, following the 'Sachsgate' affair in which he and Russell Brand made obscene phone calls to actor Andrew Sachs.

The head of the BBC's governing body, Sir Michael Lyons told MPs that it was 'premature' of the BBC to announce last week that Ross would be back on the air waves on 24 January, exactly three months after his suspension.

The highest paid BBC presenter – earning a whopping £6 million a year salary - was rapped by the corporation after making prank phone calls to Andrew Sach's and leaving messages on his answer machine saying Brand had slept with the actor's granddaughter.

Although Brand, the head of Radio 2, Lesley Douglas and David Barber, who cleared the material for broadcast, all resigned, Ross got away with a three-month ban from broadcasting.

However, during a debate with politicians yesterday, Lyons intimated that Ross was not off the hook yet and must wait for the Trust to publish its final report on Friday to determine whether he would be castigated further.

'Let me be clear the Trust has not finished its deliberations. All of these matters are subject to the final decision,' he told the House of Commons culture, media and sport select committee.

He added: 'There is nothing that has been ruled out from the final deliberations of the BBC Trust.'

Nevertheless, despite this statement, the Trust issued an announcement later on which seemingly discounted any further action against the presenter.

'The Trust will not pre-empt its own inquiry,' it said. 'But based on the oral updates it has received since 30 October, it does not expect the director-general's final report to provide new information of substance relating to Jonathan Ross's role which would lead it to change its view on his part in this incident.'

The BBC have been heavily criticised by MPs for their slowness on acting on the debacle, accusing the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, of 'arrogance' and 'lamentable slowness'.

Although the Trust does not have the power to sack BBC employees, it could demand tougher action is taken if it believes Mr Thompson's response to the scandal was insufficient.

Wednesday 19 November 2008

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