Prankster Jonathan Ross to have 'personal censor watchdog'

Britain News.Net
Sunday 4th January, 2009 (ANI)

London, January 4 : Jonathan Ross, Russell Brand's co-partner in the radio-prank sex call incident, would reportedly have his TV and radio shows monitored by a censor watchdog.

The Brit presenter had been suspended for 12 weeks without pay by the BBC following a series of phone messages left by Brand and him for 78-year-old Andrew Sachs.

The infamous October scandal, in which Ross had passed lewd comments while Brand described his prior sexual relationship with Sach's grandaughter, had led to a record number of complaints which led to Brand's resignation and Ross' temporary suspension.

Now, BBC chiefs have put their foot down that the programmes of the comic chat host, who is due to return to work on 24 January, would be morally supervised, according to a source.

"There will be no swearing during the recordings, no bleeping out of offensive words. He will comply or someone will be tapping him on the shoulder," the Daily Star quoted an assistant producer as saying.

An aide added: "Ross' side has found it very heavy going. They've found the BBC doesn't want to talk, it wants to lay down the law."

Fans of the triple BAFTA Award-winner, who is Britain's highest paid TV personality whose contract earns him 4.5 million-pound-a-year, fear constant scrutiny may hamper his comic manner.

One said: "His whole act is based on being near the knuckle and taking risks. Without the fear that he might say or do absolutely anything, Jonathan's jokes are going to fall a bit flat.

"A censor will crush his performance."

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