Russell Brand to host TalkSport show

Russell Brand has agreed to host a new weekend radio show on TalkSport, marking his return to the airwaves after the Manuelgate affair at the BBC.

The Saturday night show will feature clips and backstage recordings from Brand's current UK tour, starting with last night's performance at London's Hackney Empire.

During the 20-week run, Brand will also be joined by a series of guests including Noel Gallgher and Jonathan Ross.

The show, which will be produced by former Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas, is expected to start later this month, with an "uncut" version being made available to download from the TalkSport website.

This will mark Brand's first regular radio show since the notorious Radio 2 broadcast on October 18 last year, when he and Ross left rude messages on the answering machine of Andrew Sachs.

The ensuing controversy led to Douglas and Brand leaving the BBC, and Ross taking a three-month unpaid suspension.

Douglas, who is now Universal Music UK director of programming and business development, is understood to have played an integral role in bringing Brand to TalkSport, after she helped launch his radio career at the BBC.