Has Ross’ Time Come?

Andrew Sachs really is a sort of comedy royalty, and frankly the man who made Manuel the lovable character we know and love is the last person who should be receiving inappropriate phonecalls live on air.

Jonathan Ross – ever the schoolboy despite his obviously advanced years – and the suggestible Russell Brand obviously didn’t think so.

The nature of the phonecalls – and forgive me for not wasting my life listening to the risible meanderings of Jonathan Ross – were apparently risque and referred to Sachs’ granddaughter Georgia.

First off – Russell Brand is a twit and a live wire, a loose cannon likely to make mistakes. As such, his show isn’t overendowed with listeners, he doesn’t have a regular mainstream TV show and receives a handsome but appropriate salary. He’s also been big enough to admit he was wrong, and apologised.

OK – the next bit is lifted from the Daily Mail.  Sorry about that.

Shortly before they contacted Mr Sachs for a pre-arranged telephone interview, Brand said: ‘In a minute we’re going to be talking to Andrew Sachs, Manuel actor. The elephant in the room is, what Andrew doesn’t know is, I’ve slept with his granddaughter.’

The comedian then rang Mr Sachs. When the veteran actor didn’t answer his telephone, Brand left a message during which Ross shouted ‘He ****** your granddaughter!’, generating raucous laughter from the studio.

It gets worse…  but we’re not here to go over that.  It’s all about Jonathan Ross, and his apparent disregard for basic rules and consideration that betray his years in the entertainment industry.

His vast wages and cavalier attitude to established rules, lack of respect for senior figures and audience alike and lack of any talent whatsoever (other than bullshit) place him in a position where he too should be apologising.

In fact the BBC should be underlining just how serious and offensive ringing a 78 year old man and talking about sex with his granddaughter is, and they should take severe action.