Sachs's wife: 'Ross should have been sacked'

Andrew Sachs's wife has claimed that Jonathan Ross should have been sacked for his part in the Manuelgate scandal.

Ross was suspended for 12 weeks last month after his prank calls to Sachs on Russell Brand's Radio 2 show sparked thousands of complaints.

In an unpaid interview with the Daily Mail, Sachs's wife Melody has now admitted that she was disappointed to see Ross keeping his job with the BBC.

"Talent should not excuse unacceptable behaviour. I think Ross should have been sacked - he's a public figure with a level of responsibility and if he can't control his mouth he shouldn't be let loose," Mrs. Sachs told the newspaper. "Why did the BBC keep him on? I'm sure most people don't want him there, especially on his ridiculously monstrous salary.

"But Ross does seem very sorry. Although he didn't apologise publicly, he sent flowers and a nice letter. But what about what Andrew wants? It would have been nice if Ross had made a public apology - but it's too late for that now."

Brand resigned from the BBC following the stunt, but Mrs. Sachs is not convinced that he regrets his behaviour.

"Brand, of course, isn't sorry - he doesn't care," she explained. "He shouldn't have apologised tongue in cheek the way he did; just for once in his life he should have said: 'Yes, sorry, we did go too far.' We could be different people, we could have contacted the police or made money out of this, but that's the last thing we want."

The BBC Trust described the prank calls as a "deplorable intrusion" earlier this month.