The show was cleared for broadcast by a senior editorial person at the corporation, although making malicious or abusive phone calls is a crime and can lead to a fine or a sentence of up to six months in prison. Brand, the comedian, left a series of offensive messages on the 78-year-old's voicemail, claiming he had had sex with his granddaughter, Georgina. Many of the most explicit comments were made by Brand's guest, Jonathan Ross. Mr Sachs, who played waiter Manuel in the classic sitcom, was "upset" by the calls, according to his agent Meg Poole, who said she had complained to the BBC but did not wish to comment further. A Scotland Yard spokesman said there was no record of Mr Sachs filing a complaint, but the BBC said it had received 67 complaints from listeners about the programme, which was broadcast on 18 October. It claimed it had not received a formal complaint from Mr Sachs. Russell Brand delivered a light-hearted apology on his radio show on Saturday night. He said: "I'd like to take this opportunity to issue a personal Russell Brand apology to Andrew Sachs, the great comic actor who played Manuel, for a message that Jonathan and I left on his answer phone, but it was quite funny. "But! Sometimes, you mustn't swear on someone's answer phone and that's why I'd like to apologise personally." In the pre-recorded segments, the host and Ross, who presents a show on the same radio channel, began making calls after Sachs apparently did not answer his phone for an pre-arranged interview to promote a television show. Ross, 47, left a message telling Sachs: "He f***** your granddaughter". Brand, 33, denied this, but added: "Oh no, I have revealed I know her name." After discussing how Sachs might hang himself as a result, the pair made a string of calls in which they ostensibly attempted to apologise for what was "just a joke", but continued to leave lewd messages. At one point, Brand sang: "I said some things I didn't of oughta, like I had sex with your granddaughter, though it was consensual." The programme was last night still available for download from Russell Brand's podcast page on the BBC website but was not on the BBC's iPlayer. Jonathan Ross was not available for comment. The controversy suggests that Brand has not learned his lesson after being reprimanded by rocker Rod Stewart in 2006 for similar claims. Brand angered the singer when he told the audience at an awards ceremony that he had had "a little go at his daughter". In a more recent incident, in July this year, Brand's on-stage routine prompted a police warning about hoax calls, after an audience in Northampton watched him prank call the local force to claim he had spotted someone responsible for a number of assaults in the area. A BBC spokeswoman declined to comment on why the segment was cleared for broadcast, said: "We are not aware of having received a complaint from Andrew Sachs." Mr Sachs, who was born in Germany but emigrated to Britain in 1938 to escape the Nazi persecution of Jews, still works regularly on TV and radio, including Radio 4's spiritual programme Something Understood. Tory MP Philip Davies said: "I know Jonathan Ross has been handsomely rewarded by the BBC for being rude, inappropriate and as vile as possible, but I would hope that even the BBC would accept he's overstepped the mark this time. "In any other walk of life, anyone who did this type of thing would face serious disciplinary proceedings. I hope the BBC will consider what consequences there may be if they don't take him to task for this." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...alls-to-Fawlty-Towers-actor-Andrew-Sachs.html I think he should be sacked for this.
You wouldn't have laughed had you known who Andrew Sachs was, and respected his work as a comic actor.
People trying to be funny by calling up one of the most celebrated comedians of his time and leaving streams of insults on his answer phone, what's wrong with this picture?
Well IMO he/she shouldn't have allowed it to air in the first place. It was His/her choice and it was wrongly aired. I still defend Ross and brand though.
I know they are. I 've watched them about 3 times now and i still end up in stitches. especially when Ross says "He Fucked your Grand-Daughter" out of no where. TBH IO think Brand will be snapped up by another radio station and Ross will get a slap on the wrists.
