Russell Brand 'Mentions BBC Prank Call Controversy During Stand Up Show'

Russell Brand alluded to the recent controversy surrounding his resignation from the BBC during a stand up show in Los Angeles on Sunday (November 2nd), according to reports.

Brand appeared to make reference Andrew Sachs's granddaughter, Georgina Ballie, a burlesque dancer, saying: “Burlesque and erotica – I've been rethinking it of late”.

Brand quit the BBC last week after he and Jonathan Ross made a series of prank calls to Sachs in which he claimed he had slept with his granddaughter.

The pair also joked that the actor might kill himself as a result of the comedian's claim.

According to the Sun newspaper, Brand's performance at the Largo Coronet Theatre in West Hollywood was more toned down than his recent comedy shows.

Gallagher Support

Commenting on Brand's resignation last week, Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, a regular guest on Brand’s show, said he was “outraged that Brand had fallen “on his sword”.

Ross, the BBC’s highest paid star, has 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 over the row.

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