BBC to broadcast 'Manuelgate' apology

The BBC has announced that it will apologise for broadcasting the prank calls made by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross to Andrew Sachs.

The BBC Trust ordered Radio 2 to make the apology, describing the transmission of the calls as a "serious breach of editorial standards".

A recorded announcement will be played on the station at 10:03am and 9.03pm tomorrow to coincide with the times the presenters' programmes usually air.

The statement reads: "On 18 October, the BBC broadcast an exchange between Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross on the Russell Brand show on Radio 2.

"This concerned the actor Andrew Sachs and his granddaughter Georgina Baillie.
Andrew Sachs is best known for playing Manuel in Fawlty Towers.

"Some of this exchange was left on the voicemail of Mr Sachs. The conversation was grossly offensive and an unacceptable intrusion into the private lives of both Mr Sachs and Ms Baillie.

"It was a serious breach of editorial standards, and should never have been recorded or broadcast. The BBC would like to apologise unreservedly to Mr Sachs, Ms Baillie and to our audiences as licence fee payers."

Brand resigned from his Radio 2 show and Ross was suspended from the BBC without pay following the incident.