Ross radio joke defended by BBC

Jonathan Ross was banned for 12 weeks for making lewd remarks on air

A joke by Jonathan Ross on his first radio show after having been banned had "clearly no intention to offend anyone", the BBC has said.

The presenter appeared to joke on his BBC Radio 2 show about having sex with an 80-year-old woman.

He was returning after a 12-week suspension for broadcasting lewd messages with comedian Russell Brand.

Ross told the News of the World that "absolutely no offence to any individual was intended".

Coverage of this latest incident has appeared in several Sunday newspapers.

Ross made a comment during an exchange with his co-presenter Andy Davies about an elderly woman Davies said he had met at his Spanish home.

The BBC insisted there was no link to any specific individual and that the joke was part of a light-hearted exchange.

A BBC spokesman said: "Regular listeners will be familiar with Jonathan's irreverence and innuendo.

It was a spontaneous, light-hearted remark made in response to an anecdote set in Spain, where no-one was named or ever likely to hear the broadcast Jonathan Ross

"This light-hearted exchange contained no offensive language, named no individuals and there was clearly no intention to offend anyone.

"Nothing broadcast by the BBC was linked to a specific individual or would allow the public to link these comments to an individual."

Davies issued a statement, denying that the joke in the show referred to a real individual.

"The story was poetic licence based on the warm and affectionate behaviour experienced in Spanish village life. I did not identify an individual because there isn't one," he said.

The BBC said it had received three complaints over the exchange.

Conservative MP David Davies called for Ross to be replaced.

"On Radio 2 you don't expect X-rated references to sex - and especially sex with an 80-year-old - during the day," he said.

"He should have gone ages ago. There's no way this man should be on the air. He needs to be replaced now.

"It's obscene, especially given the amount of money Ross is being paid. It could also be highly offensive to this woman if she's a real person."

'Comedic purposes'

Ross gave a statement to the News of the World, in which he said: "It was a spontaneous, light-hearted remark made in response to an anecdote set in Spain, where no-one was named or ever likely to hear the broadcast.

"As far as I was concerned, the story may even have been apocryphal or exaggerated for comedic purposes, as is common practice on radio and comedy shows around the country.

"Absolutely no offence to any individual was intended and, if the media wasn't hell bent on stirring up controversy, I'm sure none would be taken."

More than five million viewers tuned in to watch Ross's return to television on Friday, during which he interviewed actor Tom Cruise.