Editing Jonathan Ross (section)

== Controversies ==
{{Criticism section|date=April 2025}}

===BBC contract===
In April 2006, details of his fees and those of other BBC personalities were leaked to the tabloid press.<ref>Julia Day [https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,1756028,00.html "Radio 2 stars' salaries leaked"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007223800/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/apr/18/radio.bbc |date=7 October 2023 }}, ''The Guardian'', 18 April 2006</ref> It was claimed at the time, by a then-unidentified BBC [[mole (espionage)|mole]], that Ross earned £530,000 per year for hosting his Radio 2 show (equivalent to £10,000 per show).<ref>Owen Gibson [https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,1776263,00.html "BBC unmasks mole who leaked salary details of its biggest stars"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007223802/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/may/17/broadcasting.bbc5 |date=7 October 2023 }}, ''The Guardian'', 17 May 2006</ref> While refusing to comment specifically on the leak in line with BBC policy on the matter, Ross did hint during his radio show that the figure was exaggerated; in addition to this, any pay highlighted as being "his" would actually be split between himself and his producer/co-presenter on the show, Andy Davies.

===David Cameron interview===
In June 2006, when [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] leader [[David Cameron]] appeared on ''[[Friday Night with Jonathan Ross]]'', Ross began a line of questioning relating to Conservative ex-Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]], culminating in the question "Did you or did you not have a [[masturbation|wank]] thinking of Margaret Thatcher?" Ross was defended by the [[BBC]] publicly, but repeat showings of the interview have been banned.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2251285,00.html 'BBC to ban repeats of Ross versus Cameron'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112012525/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2251285,00.html |date=12 January 2008 }} ''The Times'', 1 July 2006</ref>

==="1,000 journalists" comment===
On 5 December 2007, Ross joked at the ''[[British Comedy Awards]]'' that his salary meant that he was "apparently worth 1,000 BBC journalists". His quip came shortly after the BBC had announced plans for more than 2,000&nbsp;job cuts, and was condemned as "obscene" by the general secretary of the [[National Union of Journalists]].<ref>Colin Crummy [http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=39651 "Jonathan Ross: I'm worth 1,000 BBC journalists"], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208170152/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=39651|date=8 December 2008}} ''Press Gazette'', 6 December 2007</ref> Ross has denied this and in a 2011 article is quoted as saying that he was commenting on a piece that was written in a newspaper about his salary being that of 1,000 journalists:

{{blockquote|
You know where that came from? The newspapers. After the fee was announced, they said, 'The BBC says he's worth 1,000 journalists', so on the Comedy Awards I made a joke that began, 'Apparently I'm worth 1,000 journalists according to the newspapers.' Every time it's quoted, is the word 'apparently' ever used? Which does change the meaning somewhat.<ref name="Interview in The Guardian, 3 September 2011">{{cite news|last=Hattenstone|first=Simon|date=2 September 2011|title=Jonathan Ross: look who's talking – interview|work=The Guardian|location=London|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/sep/02/jonathan-ross-interview-simon-hattenstone|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-date=1 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201165729/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/sep/02/jonathan-ross-interview-simon-hattenstone|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

===Gwyneth Paltrow interview===
The [[BBC Trust]] ruled that Ross's interview with American actress [[Gwyneth Paltrow]], broadcast on 2 May 2008, breached editorial guidelines. They ruled that bad language in an episode of Ross's pre-recorded BBC1 chat show, ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'', in which the presenter told Paltrow he "would fuck her", was "gratuitous and unnecessarily offensive". The trust said it disagreed with the judgement made by BBC management that the episode should be broadcast uncensored, adding that the comment was made in an "overly sexual way" and that it had upheld a number of complaints made about the edition of ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross''.<ref>{{cite news|author=Tara Conlan at Broadcasting House and Leigh Holmwood|date=21 November 2008|title=BBC Trust criticises Jonathan Ross over lewd comment to Gwyneth Paltrow|newspaper=Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/nov/21/russell-brand-jonathan-ross|access-date=29 March 2014|archive-date=26 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626132830/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/nov/21/russell-brand-jonathan-ross|url-status=live}}</ref> The trust reminded BBC staff that "the casual gratuitous use of the most offensive language is not acceptable on the BBC in accordance with the BBC's existing guidelines and practices", adding that "this particularly applies in entertainment programmes".<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7742130.stm At a glance: BBC Trust report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516120104/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7742130.stm |date=16 May 2009 }} BBC News, 21 November 2008</ref>

===''The Russell Brand Show'' and Andrew Sachs===
{{Main|The Russell Brand Show prank calls}}

Following a guest appearance by Ross on ''[[The Russell Brand Show (radio show)|The Russell Brand Show]]'' broadcast on 18 October 2008, Ross was suspended for 12 weeks without pay by the BBC on 29 October, after a series of lewd answerphone messages, including Ross saying, "He fucked your granddaughter", were left for then 78-year-old actor [[Andrew Sachs]] regarding Sachs' granddaughter [[Georgina Baillie]], by [[Russell Brand]] and Ross, which were broadcast on the pre-recorded show.<ref name="suspended">{{cite news|date=29 October 2008|title=Brand and Ross suspended by BBC|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7696714.stm|access-date=29 October 2008|archive-date=8 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908220523/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7696714.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> After little initial interest, a media story about the calls by the ''Daily Mail'' generated a high number of complaints. Brand resigned from the BBC, while Ross was suspended without pay. BBC director general [[Mark Thompson (media executive)|Mark Thompson]] stated that Ross should take the disciplinary action as a "final warning".<ref>{{cite news|date=30 October 2008|title=The ups and downs of Ross' career|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7700656.stm|access-date=30 October 2008|archive-date=2 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081102065310/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7700656.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 October 2008|title=Ross suspended for three months|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7700816.stm|access-date=30 October 2008|archive-date=2 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081102065315/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7700816.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The BBC was later fined £150,000 by Britain's broadcast regulator for airing the calls.<ref>{{cite news|last=Khan|first=Urmee|date=3 April 2009|title=BBC fined £150,000 over Brand's prank calls|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/5099055/BBC-fined-150000-over-Brands-prank-calls.html|access-date=8 October 2009|archive-date=8 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408002719/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/5099055/BBC-fined-150000-over-Brands-prank-calls.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 21 November 2008, the [[BBC Trust]] said that the phone calls were a "deplorable intrusion with no editorial justification".<ref>{{cite news|date=21 November 2008|title='No justification' for Brand show|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7741322.stm|access-date=21 November 2008|archive-date=25 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125104715/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7741322.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The trust gave its backing to Ross's 12-week suspension but recommended that no further action be taken against him. He returned to work in January 2009 with a new series of ''Friday Night''. From 23 May 2009, Ross's BBC Radio 2 show was recorded 24 hours before broadcast.<ref>{{cite news|date=22 May 2009|title=Ross's radio show no longer live –|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8063092.stm|access-date=29 March 2014|archive-date=26 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090526224309/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8063092.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Homophobia accusation===
On 13 May 2009, Ross was accused of [[homophobia]] after a comment he made on his radio show,<ref>Geen, Jessica. [http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-12406.html "Exclusive: Jonathan Ross accused of homophobia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515004808/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-12406.html |date=15 May 2009 }}, ''Pink News'', 13 May 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009</ref> in which he said,

{{blockquote|
If your son asks for a ''[[Hannah Montana]]'' MP3 player, then you might want to already think about putting him down for adoption in later life, when they settle down with their partner.<ref name="ofcom-07-09">[http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/obb/prog_cb/obb137/Issue137.pdf "Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin Issue 137"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710234120/http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/obb/prog_cb/obb137/Issue137.pdf|date=10 July 2009}}, [[Ofcom]], 6 July 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2009</ref>
}}

An incorrect version of this quote was also circulated, in which Ross was accused of saying:

{{blockquote|
If your son asks for a ''Hannah Montana'' MP3 player, you might want to already think about putting him down for adoption before he brings his ... erm ... partner home.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jonathan Ross's gay 'joke' was wrong|newspaper=Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/may/17/jonathan-ross-gay-homophobia|access-date=29 March 2014|archive-date=28 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228012227/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/may/17/jonathan-ross-gay-homophobia|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

[[Ofcom]] received 61 complaints following the comment. On 7 July 2009, Ofcom ruled that Ross did not breach the broadcasting code. They wrote in their opinion that "the comment was clearly presented as a joke intended to make light of the reactions that some parents may have if their child chooses a toy that is very widely recognised to be designed and marketed for the opposite sex" and that the nature of the joke and tone and manner in which it was presented "made clear that it was not intended to be hostile or pejorative towards the [[gay community]] in general."<ref name="ofcom-07-09" /> [[Stonewall (UK)|Stonewall]] criticised the ruling; saying "the fact that a comment is light-hearted does not absolve it from perpetuating the stereotypes that lead to homophobic bullying."<ref>Geen, Jessica. [http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13122.html "Stonewall: Ross's 'light-hearted' comment still encourages bullying"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708003828/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13122.html |date=8 July 2009 }}, ''[[Pink News]]'', 6 July 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2009</ref>

=== Hugo Awards ===
On 1 March 2014 [[72nd World Science Fiction Convention|Loncon 3, the 72nd]] [[World Science Fiction Convention]], announced that Ross would be the [[Master of Ceremonies]] for the 2014 [[Hugo Award]]s ceremony, to be held in August at [[ExCeL London]]. This generated angry criticism from members of [[science fiction fandom]] who objected to the idea, citing Ross's record of controversial statements and actions. Convention committee member [[Farah Mendlesohn]] strongly objected to the choice of Ross as MC, and resigned when the Loncon 3 [[chairman|Co-Chairs]] would not reconsider the choice, writing (in part), '[Ross] is a man who has made a fortune (6 million a year at one point) from abusing others—particularly women—live on air.' He publicly withdrew as MC not long after the announcement, tweeting 'I have decided to withdraw from hosting the Hugo's @loncon3 in response to some who would rather I weren't there. Have a lovely convention.'<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://locusmag.com/2014/03/hugo-mc-withdraws/ |title="Hugo MC Withdraws" ''Locus Online'' 3 March, 2014 |date=3 March 2014 |access-date=6 February 2022 |archive-date=6 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206151157/https://locusmag.com/2014/03/hugo-mc-withdraws/ |url-status=live }}</ref>