BBC chiefs to discuss Ross's fate

Jonathan Ross's future at the BBC is to be debated today as director general Mark Thompson meets members of the corporation's governing body, the BBC Trust.

Ross and Russell Brand were both suspended yesterday following the October 18 broadcast of lewd phone calls they made to Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs. Brand later quit the corporation, adding that he took "complete responsibility" for the stunt, he was sorry, and that he was "caught up in the moment".

Ross may discover his fate when Thompson reports to the BBC Trust the findings of an investigation into how the pre-recorded calls were cleared for broadcast on the October 18 edition of Brand's programme on Radio 2.

The pair left obscene comments about Sachs's 23-year-old granddaughter Georgina Baillie on the veteran actor's answer machine. Ross has since apologised to Sachs personally and issued a public apology.