Russell Brand 'On The Run' As Jonathan Ross Gets 3 Month Suspension

Comedian Russell Brand is trying to leave the United Kingdom following his high profile resignation over a series of prank calls, it's been reported.

Brand is contracted to record a Christmas special for Channel 4 next month, although friends of the comedian claim he is trying to bring filming forward.

“He just wants to get on the next plane out of England – and get away from this mess,” a friend told the Sun newspaper.

Brand left his £200,000-a-year job at the BBC on Thursday following a public backlash over messages he and Jonathan Ross left on actor Andrew Sachs' answer phone during his Radio 2 show.

Brand, who claimed on air that he had slept with Sachs' granddaughter, said he took “complete responsibility” for the pair's comments.

£1.3million Mistake

Meanwhile, the BBC announced last night that Ross had been suspended without pay for three months - a penalty which will cost the TV personality almost £1.3million.

Lesley Douglas, the controller of BBC Radio 2 and the woman responsible for bringing both Brand and Ross to the station, also tendered her resignation.

Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher yesterday said he was “outraged” that Brand had been forced to resign because of what he felt was a media overreaction to the scandal.

Brand caused controversy last month as host of the MTV Video Music awards in America when he called President George W Bush a “retard”.