[Matt]

Jonathan Ross's £18m BBC deal caused Sachsgate backlash, says Terry Wogan

Sir Terry Wogan has defended the amount Jonathan Ross is paid by the BBC, but said the suspended presenter's £18m three-year deal was the reason the backlash against the Andrew Sachs prank calls incident became so fierce.

The Radio 2 breakfast presenter described the prank calls to Sachs that led to Ross being suspended and Russell Brand resigning from the station as "unforgivable".

Wogan expressed sympathy for Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas, who also resigned following the furore, saying it was a shame "our brilliant controller" had to leave.

Speaking yesterday at the launch of Bandaged, an album of songs sung by BBC Radio 2 presenters and their friends in aid of Children in Need, Wogan also said he agreed with ITV executive chairman Michael Grade's calls earlier this week to cut bad language in broadcasting.

Wogan added that there was a problem in broadcasting of "trying to appeal to an audience that is not there".

"Most of the resentment seemed to focus at the end, not on Russell Brand, not on this judgment they made, but on Jonathan Ross's salary," Wogan said.

"Come on - if your agent negotiates £18m ... are you going to turn round and say: 'I'm not going to take that?'" he added.

"It's not his fault he's paid that money. Don't criticise him for taking the money, because all of us would."

Ross was been suspended for 12 weeks without pay last week following the broadcast of pre-recorded lewd messages he and Brand left on Sachs' answerphone about the actor's granddaughter, Georgina Baillie. The messages went out on Brand's Radio 2 show on Saturday October 18.

The BBC TV and radio presenter is reported to have signed an £18m three-year deal with the BBC, meaning he could lose around £1.5m during the suspension.

Wogan said he hope the incident would not affect the public's attitude to Radio 2 and went on to say he backed Grade's calls to cut bad language in broadcasting.

"Absolutely I agree. I'm an old geezer and I'm like Michael Grade," he added.

"I don't think it's ever acceptable and I think there will be a backlash against it. There is already a backlash and I think it's not right," Wogan said.

"The F-word is bad enough, it's just an example of people who are inarticulate. You can bleep it out.

"I think it's unprofessional. I think some people think they will have more street cred with the youth if they eff and blind."

Source: MediaGuardian.co.uk