BBC SORRY OVER 'LEWD' PHONE CALLS

The pair left answerphone messages for the 78-year-old Fawlty Towers star in which they told him Brand had slept with his granddaughter and joked that the actor might kill himself as a result.

"We have received a letter of a complaint from Mr Sachs' agent and would like to sincerely apologise to Mr Sachs for the offence caused," a BBC spokeswoman said.

"We recognise that some of the content broadcast was unacceptable and offensive. We are reviewing how this came about and are responding to Mr Sachs personally. We also apologise to listeners for any offence caused."

The pre-recorded calls were aired on Brand's Radio 2 show.

The host and Ross, who presents a show on the same radio channel, began making calls after Sachs apparently did not answer his phone for a pre-arranged interview to promote a television show.

Ross, 47, left a message telling Sachs: "He f***** your granddaughter." Brand, 33, denied this, but added: "Oh no, I have revealed I know her name."

After discussing how Sachs might hang himself as a result, the pair made a string of calls in which they ostensibly attempted to apologise for what was "just a joke", but continued to leave lewd messages.

At one point, Brand sang: "I said some things I didn't of oughta, like I had sex with your granddaughter, though it was consensual."

A spokeswoman for Sachs said the actor, who played waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers, was "upset" by the incident but did not wish to comment further. His agent, Meg Poole, said she had emailed and written to the BBC to formally complain about the calls.