British television star quits the BBC
Source: Agencies |
January 8, 2010, Friday
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Jonathan Ross, one of the BBC's highest paid stars, announced yesterday that he is to leave the broadcaster.
Ross, whose salary was around 6 million pounds (US$9.55 million) a year according to media reports, said he had decided not to renegotiate his contract which ends in July.
It comes just over a year after he was suspended by BBC bosses for "grossly offensive" prank calls he made with comedian Russell Brand to "Fawlty Towers" actor Andrew Sachs.
"Although I have had a wonderful time working for the BBC, and am very proud of the shows I have made while there, over the last two weeks I have decided not to renegotiate when my current contract comes to an end," he said in a statement.
"I would like to make it perfectly clear that no negotiations ever took place and that my decision is not financially motivated."
Ross hosts a Friday night show on BBC1, a film review program, and also presents a radio show.
He said he would continue to work on all of these projects until his contract ended, and would also continue to host the Bafta Film Awards, Comic Relief and other specials for the BBC.
"Thanks for all the kind words about my decision. I feel sad that I can't keep making the shows so many of you love," he wrote on Twitter.
Several well-paid BBC presenters have agreed to take pay cuts as the corporation comes under pressure to rein in spending amid the economic downturn.
Ross said he had signed his current BBC contract after turning down more lucrative offers from other channels.
"As I have said before - would happily have stayed there for any fee they cared to offer, but there were other considerations," Ross said in his statement.
"Working at the BBC has been a tremendous privilege, and I would like to thank everyone who has watched and listened so loyally over the last 13 years."
Ross was suspended without pay for 12 weeks and Brand sacked after widespread outrage following the prank calls he made to Sachs on the radio in October 2008.
More than 40,000 people complained about the show in which Ross joked about Brand sleeping with the actor's burlesque dancer granddaughter Georgina Baillie.
Ross apologized and returned to TV screens in January 2009, but commentators said BBC chiefs might have told him to tone down his flamboyant style.
Ross, whose salary was around 6 million pounds (US$9.55 million) a year according to media reports, said he had decided not to renegotiate his contract which ends in July.
It comes just over a year after he was suspended by BBC bosses for "grossly offensive" prank calls he made with comedian Russell Brand to "Fawlty Towers" actor Andrew Sachs.
"Although I have had a wonderful time working for the BBC, and am very proud of the shows I have made while there, over the last two weeks I have decided not to renegotiate when my current contract comes to an end," he said in a statement.
"I would like to make it perfectly clear that no negotiations ever took place and that my decision is not financially motivated."
Ross hosts a Friday night show on BBC1, a film review program, and also presents a radio show.
He said he would continue to work on all of these projects until his contract ended, and would also continue to host the Bafta Film Awards, Comic Relief and other specials for the BBC.
"Thanks for all the kind words about my decision. I feel sad that I can't keep making the shows so many of you love," he wrote on Twitter.
Several well-paid BBC presenters have agreed to take pay cuts as the corporation comes under pressure to rein in spending amid the economic downturn.
Ross said he had signed his current BBC contract after turning down more lucrative offers from other channels.
"As I have said before - would happily have stayed there for any fee they cared to offer, but there were other considerations," Ross said in his statement.
"Working at the BBC has been a tremendous privilege, and I would like to thank everyone who has watched and listened so loyally over the last 13 years."
Ross was suspended without pay for 12 weeks and Brand sacked after widespread outrage following the prank calls he made to Sachs on the radio in October 2008.
More than 40,000 people complained about the show in which Ross joked about Brand sleeping with the actor's burlesque dancer granddaughter Georgina Baillie.
Ross apologized and returned to TV screens in January 2009, but commentators said BBC chiefs might have told him to tone down his flamboyant style.
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