Ross could still be sacked, BBC Trust chairman tells MPs

THE chairman of the BBC Trust today raised the prospect of further disciplinary action against Jonathan Ross.

Sir Michael Lyons, who is awaiting a final report this week on the lewd phone messages scandal, appeared to hint that further action could be taken against the £6million-a-year presenter.

He did not rule out the possibility that Ross could be sacked.

During a grilling by MPs, the Corporation chief was challenged over why BBC2 had already announced that Ross was due to return to his radio show on Saturday 24 January when the trust had not yet published its final findings.

Sir Michael said: "There is nothing that is ruled out from the final deliberations of the BBC Trust."

The BBC's director-general Mark Thompson admitted that the broadcasting of the sexually explicit comments left by Ross and Russell Brand on actor Andrew Sachs's home answering machine about his granddaughter were a "very serious editorial lapse". Tory MP Nigel Evans criticised the two BBC bosses for failing to fire Ross and Brand for "gross misconduct".

Appearing before the all-party Commons culture, media and sport committee, Sir Michael said: "Before you bandy around words like gross misconduct, the BBC has a duty of care.

"The BBC looks at the evidence before making its decisions. I think that's the sign of a healthy organisation." Both Sir Michael, who defended Ross's £6million salary, and Mr Thompson were accused of being "lamentably" slow in responding to the furore over Brand's Radio 2 show. Sir Michael rejected the criticism, insisting: "There was no lack of speed."

But he did admit that the Corporation could have cleared its apology to Mr Sachs as it later had to change it to cover his wider family.

Ross was suspended without pay for 12 weeks following the row and Brand resigned from his BBC show.