The Stage

Radio 2 controller Douglas resigns

Published Thursday 30 October 2008 at 18:55 by Alistair Smith

Lesley Douglas, controller of BBC Radio 2, has resigned following the furore over comments made by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand on the latter’s radio show.

Douglas, who is also controller of BBC 6 Music and popular music, tendered her resignation to BBC director-general Mark Thompson today.

She explained: “Over the 23 years of my career at the BBC I have enjoyed a deep love and respect for both the audience and the BBC. The events of the last two weeks happened on my watch. I believe it is right that I take responsibility for what has happened.

“It is a matter of the greatest possible sadness to me that a programme on my network has been the cause of such a controversy. I would like to take this opportunity to offer my personal apology to Andrew Sachs and his family and to the audience for what has happened.”

Thompson earlier this week branded Ross and Brand’s behaviour as “unnacceptable”. The pair had made a series of prank calls to actor Sachs, which they then broadcast as part of Brand’s Saturday night show on October 18. The two comedians left messages on Sachs’ answering machine when he failed to pick up his phone for a prearranged interview. In the messages, the pair joked that Brand had slept with Sachs’ granddaughter and that Sachs might kill himself when he heard the messages.

Commenting on Douglas’ resignation, Thompson said that her “decision to take responsibility for what has happened is an illustration of the integrity and commitment” which had characterised her leadership at BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music.