Brand resigns after BBC suspension

Russell Brand is resigning from his Radio 2 show in the wake of the controversy over calls made to Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs, he said tonight.

His abrupt departure comes as Jonathan Ross, who also took part in the prank, issued a public apology over his "juvenile and thoughtless" remarks.

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Former heroin addict Brand has presented his Radio 2 show since November 2006 and is thought to be paid more than £200,000 a year by the BBC.

Brand said in a statement that he took "complete responsibility" for the incident and that he got "caught up in the moment".

Brand said: "As I only do the radio show to make people laugh I've decided that given the subsequent coverage I will stop doing the show."

He apologised to listeners because they would be "upset" that his Saturday night BBC show cannot continue.

Brand, 33, and Ross, 47, were suspended by the BBC today, 11 days after the offensive phone call was broadcast on Radio 2.

In a statement tonight, Brand said: "I have apologised to Andrew Sachs for the rude messages I left on October 18th and he has graciously accepted.

"As I only do the radio show to make people laugh I've decided that given the subsequent coverage I will stop doing the show.

"I've loved working for the BBC and am very proud of the shows myself, Matt Morgan, Nic Philps, Mr Gee and Noel Gallagher have made and I apologise to all of them for damaging their careers -except Noel, whose band are doing quite well.

"I got a bit caught up in the moment and forgot that at the core of the rude comments and silly songs were the real feelings of a beloved and brilliant comic actor and a very sweet and big hearted young woman.

"Apologies are also owed to the loyal listeners of the show who enjoyed its shambolic spirit and anarchy and will be upset that it cannot continue.

"I take complete responsibility and offer nothing but love and contrition and I hope that now Jonathan and the BBC will endure less forensic wrath."

He signed off "Hare Krishna".

In a separate video broadcast which was filmed next to what appeared to be a photograph of Stalin, Brand paid tribute to Ross and the BBC.

He said he had not thought that the prank would have such great "repercussions".

He said: "I didn't think about it at all. I now acknowledge it was a really, really stupid thing to do, particularly as Andrew is an actor and comic performer that I very much admire", he said.

Brand said he had been "really silly" and it was "certainly not my intention to hurt Andrew, a man that I very much admire, or to embarrass his granddaughter Georgina."

He added: "I have apologised to Andrew Sachs and I believe that he has graciously accepted my apology."

He had not apologised to Georgina yet "because I'm a little bit embarrassed and thought I might make it worse."

Brand said he had not said sorry until now because he did not want to be seen to be apologising because of the fallout, rather than for the incident itself.

But "now that it's reached this scale I feel that I've got no choice but to make a proper statement and apologise", he said.

Brand said he was quitting because the incident had made people "unhappy and angry and sad".

He said he was "very proud" to have worked for the BBC, adding: "I love the BBC and the opportunity they have given me."

He said the corporation was a "fantastic institution" and he was "dead sad that my actions have led to the BBC being attacked in the way that it's been."

His resignation was "best for the BBC and the people that I have offended", he added.

Brand paid tribute to Ross, saying he was a "great broadcaster".

His comment "while silly, was not malicious" and he was a "lovely, kind, gentle man who did something a little bit silly", he said.

Brand said: "We made a mistake, crossed the line, ...what we did was wrong."

Following Russell Brand's resignation as a BBC Radio 2 host, will Jonathan Ross also resign?

Ross, who earns a reported £6 million a year, has not offered to step down but said in a statement tonight: "It was a stupid error of judgment on my part, and I offer a full apology.

"I am deeply sorry and greatly regret the upset and distress that my juvenile and thoughtless remarks on the Russell Brand show have caused.

"I have not issued a statement previously because it was my intention and desire to offer an apology to all those offended on my Friday night programme."

The BBC had pulled the plug on tonight's recording of Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, as well as cancelling this weekend's Radio 2 shows.

Director General Mark Thompson announced the pair's suspension this morning, following a growing clamour for action, saying the broadcast was a "gross lapse of taste" and a "severe offence".

The tally of complaints to the BBC about the broadcast soared to 18,000 and has sparked a chorus of disapproval from the Prime Minister downwards.

Despite the huge fallout, a police investigation looks remote as the Fawlty Towers actor has stated he is not planning to take the matter up with the police.

His granddaughter, Georgina Baillie, 23, has called for Ross and Brand, whom she admitted she slept with, to be sacked for their lewd phone calls and branded the high-earning presenters "cruel sickos".

In a message left on Mr Sachs' voicemail, the pair claimed Brand had slept with the actor's 23-year-old granddaughter.

The presenters, in the pre-recorded show - which was cleared to air despite Mr Sachs, 78, being upset by it - also joked the actor might kill himself.

Mr Thompson said in a written statement: "I have decided that it is not appropriate for either Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross to continue broadcasting on the BBC until I have seen the full report of the actions of all concerned.

"This gross lapse of taste by the performers and the production team has angered licence payers.

"I am determined that we satisfy them that any lessons will be learnt and appropriate action taken."

Brand had recently begun to crack the US with a string of film roles, including St Trinian's and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

He has a long history of sparking controversy and his promotion to Radio 2 from BBC 6Music caused a stir with some listeners.

He was sacked by MTV after turning up for work dressed as Osama bin Laden the day after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

He previously clashed with Rod Stewart when he claimed he had slept with the rocker's daughter, Kimberly.

Brand also got into trouble during a performance in Northampton in July when he made a hoax call to police, claiming he had spotted a man responsible for a series of assaults.