Posted: Tuesday 24th March 2009 at 11:57pm by Paul
The nominations for this year’s TV BAFTA awards have been announced.
Jonathan Ross is nominated in the Best Entertainment Performance category for Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, and The Daily Show With Jon Stewart is nominated in the International category.
Jonathan Ross being nominated for an award has been a controversial subject for some people, because of the BBC Radio 2 incident with Russell Brand last year, leading to Jonathan’s temporary suspension from the BBC.
The BAFTA TV awards ceremony takes place on Sunday 26th April.
BAFTA – “Television Awards Nominations”
Digital Spy – “Sachs shocked by Ross’s BAFTA nod”
Posted: Sunday 25th January 2009 at 9:47pm by Paul
Jonathan Ross returned to the BBC on Friday for Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. The guests for the comeback show were actor Tom Cruise, TV personality Stephen Fry, comedian Lee Evans and music from Franz Ferdinand who performed their new single Ulysses.
At the beginning of the programme, Jonathan quipped “So where were we?” and gave an on-air apology over the ‘Sachsgate’ incident. The first show back since Jonathan’s suspension was a somewhat more ‘safe’ show – with non-offensive guests like Stephen and Lee – and Jonathan held back from swearing or any sexual innuendo.
Friday’s edition was watched by 5 million viewers. Did you watch the show? What did you think?
Kevin O’Sullivan in the Sunday Mirror said “whitewashed to within an inch of its life, the new “improved” Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was a clean-up campaigner’s dream. Mild, inoffensive and slightly dull” – do you agree?
Do you think the show’s changed since it went off-air and has become too family friendly or do you still love it? I thought it was great to have Friday Night With Jonathan Ross back on our screens.
BBC News – “Ross TV return is watched by 5.1m”
The Mirror – “Shamed TV star is back, but was it a white Woss?”
The Observer – “Jonathan was great. Shame about Tom”
Click here to watch Friday’s show in full
Posted: Tuesday 13th January 2009 at 9:38pm by Paul
Tom Cruise has been confirmed as a guest for the comeback episode of Friday Night With Jonathan Ross on the 23rd January. This will be the first time Tom Cruise has appeared on the programme. He will join other previously announced guests Stephen Fry, Lee Evans and Franz Ferdinand.
Times Online – “Tom Cruise will appear on Jonathan Ross comeback show”
Digital Spy – “Cruise confirmed for Ross return”
Jonathan Ross on Twitter
Posted: Wednesday 7th January 2009 at 3:13pm by Paul
The guest lineup for Friday Night With Jonathan Ross’ first show back following Jonathan Ross’ BBC suspension has been announced.
The first show back will be on Friday 23rd January at 10.35pm with Stephen Fry, comedian Lee Evans and music from Franz Ferdinand. BBC News is reporting there’ll be “one more guest will be added to the line-up nearer the time”. Could this mystery guest be Andrew Sachs or Georgina Baillie I wonder?
Jonathan Ross will return to host his Radio 2 show on the 24th January and BBC1′s Film 2009 a few days later.
Jonathan was suspended back in October following lewd messages left on the answerphone of Andrew Sachs on Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show when Jonathan was a guest.
BBC News – “Line-up announced for Ross return”
Late Show UK – Guest listings for Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
Posted: Friday 2nd January 2009 at 11:43pm by Paul
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross is expected to return with new shows on BBC1 from the 23rd January.
Jonathan Ross has been on a three-month suspension from the BBC since the BBC Radio 2 incident on Russell Brand’s show (dubbed “Sachsgate”) involving messages being left on ex-Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs’ answerphone regarding his grand-daughter Georgina Baillie.
Russell Brand and Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas both resigned followed the incident. After Jonathan’s appearance as a guest on Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show, he was suspended without pay.
With the expected return of Friday Night With Jonathan Ross on Friday 23rd January, Jonathan’s BBC Radio 2 show will return on Saturday 24th January.
It is said on The Telegraph’s website that on the return show on the 23rd January, Jonathan will make references to his suspension. They say “the presenter has decided to mark his comeback on BBC One’s Friday Night With Jonathan Ross with a comedy monologue about his three-month suspension for taunting actor Andrew Sachs in a Radio 2 broadcast”. A source told The Telegraph “the script will be very closely scrutinised” as the show is pre-recorded.
The Telegraph – “Jonathan Ross makes TV comeback with ‘Sachsgate’ jokes”
Posted: Saturday 29th November 2008 at 10:14pm by Paul
As you may have heard, the BBC have announced they will be tightening up guidelines and editorial policy for all future shows with regards to swearing and things of that nature, following the Andrew Sachs, Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross incident on BBC Radio 2.
The Guardian reports “the director of BBC Vision, Jana Bennett, told the Guardian that Jonathan Ross had agreed to cut back on bad language in his BBC Friday night chatshow”. The Daily Mail says Jonathan Ross’s chat show – Friday Night With Jonathan Ross – will have “a ban on swearing and sexual innuendo” when it returns to BBC1 early next year following Jonathan’s suspension from the BBC. The Telegraph says “the BBC’s two most senior figures will face tough questioning over Jonathan Ross’s three-year £18 million salary in wake of Andrew Sachs obscene calls affair”.
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross is expected to return to BBC1 at the end of January or the beginning of February next year.
With toning down of swearing and sexual innuendo – two things which are a part of Friday Night With Jonathan Ross – is this a step too far? And will Jonathan stay at the BBC for much longer if they tell him strictly what he can and cannot do throughout every show he’s on?
Although the likes of David Letterman and Jay Leno on American TV don’t have any swearing on their shows (apart from a few bleeped words every now and again), and their shows are doing fine. In fact, swearing on network TV (ie. terrestrial TV) is not allowed in the US at all. Should the UK do the same or has this thing blown way out of all proportion? I think the latter.
We’d like to know your thoughts – leave us a comment.
The Guardian – “BBC swears to cut down on bad language”
Daily Mail – “Jonathan Ross told to cut out smut and swearing…”
The Telegraph – “BBC chiefs to be quizzed over Jonathan Ross’s salary…”
Posted: Friday 31st October 2008 at 9:24am by Paul
Following the recent controversy on BBC Radio 2, Jonathan Ross was suspended along with the Radio 2 host Russell Brand. Russell Brand has since quit his Radio 2 show and the BBC Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas has resigned. It has now been confirmed that Jonathan Ross will be suspended for three months (12 weeks) without pay.
BBC News says “it is believed the suspension of pay will cost the entertainer more than £1 million”. BBC director general Mark Thompson describes Jonathan Ross’s suspension as “an exceptional step” and the content on Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show a “very serious breach of editorial standards”. Mr Thompson also says this is a “final warning” for Jonathan Ross.
It has also now been confirmed that Film 2008 With Jonathan Ross has been taken off the air, and – presumably – any programme featuring Jonathan. The suspension will mean Friday Night With Jonathan Ross won’t return to BBC1 until mid-January 2009 or the beginning of February 2009. It’s not known what will replace Friday Night With Jonathan Ross in the meantime but tonight’s show has been replaced by the film Speed. The BBC could get in guest hosts for the programme, but – in my opinion – this is unlikely.
BBC News – “Ross suspended for three months”
BBC News – “Thompson statement on calls row” (Video report)
BBC News – “BBC draws a line under radio row”
Posted: Wednesday 29th October 2008 at 12:31pm by Paul
Last updated 29th October 2008 at 20:40
Jonathan Ross has been suspended by the BBC following this week’s controversial prank calls on BBC Radio 2, and Russell Brand has now quit his Radio 2 show. Jonathan was a guest on Russell Brand’s Radio 2 programme where – in a recorded interview – they made prank calls to ex-Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs. Russell and Jonathan left messages on Mr Sach’s answerphone where Russell Brand said he had slept with Mr Sach’s granddaughter and Jonathan Ross swore. Over 18000 complaints have been made to the BBC about this matter.
BBC News reports Andrew Sachs said to them Jonathan “personally delivered a letter of apology and some flowers” but that he hadn’t “heard anything” from Russell Brand.
Director General of the BBC Mark Thompson has described the incident as a “completely unacceptable broadcast” and has apologised to license fee payers and anyone who was offended by the comments made by Jonathan and Russell during the programme.
Georgina Baillie (Andrew Sach’s granddaughter) has told The Sun newspaper “it was bad enough that they recorded these things on my grandfather’s answer machine but astonishing the BBC saw fit to broadcast it when they could have stopped it”.
Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand have both now issued apologises, and Russell has quit his Radio 2 show with immediate effect. Jonathan says he’s “deeply sorry and greatly regret the upset and distress that my juvenile and thoughtless remarks on the Russell Brand show have caused”. Russell says he’s “apologised to Andrew Sachs for the rude messages I left on October 18 and he has graciously accepted” and that he has “decided that given the subsequent coverage I will stop doing the show”.
This week’s edition of Friday Night With Jonathan Ross has been cancelled (it was due to be recorded today for broadcast this Friday evening) – the guests for that show would have been David Attenborough, Miley Cyrus, Frank Skinner and The Killers. All future editions of Friday Night With Jonathan Ross have been cancelled until further notice. Jonathan Ross’s show on Radio 2 has also been cancelled until further notice. It’s not clear what will happen with regards to Film 2008 With Jonathan Ross on BBC1 but it’s likely this will be taken off the air as well (a James Bond special was due to air this Sunday in addition to the usual weekly shows).
Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this post.
BBC News – “Brand and Ross suspended by BBC”
BBC News – “Brand and Ross: BBC statement”
BBC News – “Brand and Ross: Apologies in full”
BBC News – “Brown condemns Brand prank calls” (Video report)
The Sun – “‘Sickos’ Ross and Russ suspended”
Reuters – “BBC suspends Brand and Ross over calls”
Metro – “Brand and Ross suspended”
Teletext – “BBC suspends Ross and Brand”
