In a pre-recorded episode of The Russell Brand Show broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on 18 October 2008, comedian Russell Brand and presenter Jonathan Ross made prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs that courted controversy in the United Kingdom. Brand and Ross called Sachs to interview him on air; when he did not answer, they left lewd messages on his answering machine, including comments about Brand's relationship with Sachs' granddaughter Georgina Baillie.
The incident received little attention initially, but an article in The Mail on Sunday of 26 October 2008 led to widespread criticism of Brand, Ross and the editorial decisions of the BBC. The event became known as Sachsgate or Manuelgate (a reference to Sachs' Fawlty Towers character Manuel).[1] Brand and Ross were criticised by a number of MPs, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the BBC received a record number of complaints. The BBC suspended Ross while it and Ofcom launched investigations. Both Brand and Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas resigned from the BBC. On 30 October, the BBC suspended Ross without pay for twelve weeks. The BBC was fined £150,000 by Ofcom.[2]
- ^ Rutter, Claire (2 December 2016). "Andrew Sachs was 'haunted' by obscene calls from Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross". mirror. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
- ^ Holmwood, Leigh. "BBC fined £150,000 over Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross phone prank scandal". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 3 April 2009.