Jonathan Ross
- Profession: Television and radio presenter
- Place/Date of Birth: Leytonstone, 17 November 2020
"For him it’s just a throwaway comment, but his words can really hurt. Comments like this can help to make people’s lives miserable."
Heather lost her left leg after a police motorbike hit her in 1988.
An awards show source told the Mirror: "He wasn’t mocking her disability - he was simply saying she’s told a lot of lies."
Wossy’s joke sparks fury - Oct 2, 2020
It seems Jonathan Ross has sparked a row after joking that people living on council estates shouldn’t be allowed to have children.
The chat show king made the quip after celeb chef Jamie Oliver revealed he once saw a mum feeding her baby some Coke.
"Do you think we should put something in the water supply to stop some people having children in the future?" mused the 45-year-old presenter.
Jamie then asked: "What, you mean like lead?"
Wossy added: "You know the kind of people I’m talking about".
He then whispered "council estates" to the cameras.
The remark - during BBC One’s Friday Night With Jonathan Ross programme - has attracted more than 60 complaints, according to a report on the BBC website.
However, a spokesman said the comment wasn’t out of character, adding that the star was "well-known for his irreverent approach".
Has Wossy finally gone too far?
Jonathan Ross’ salary under fire - Sept 15, 2020
One of the BBC’s own reporters has attacked the "obscene" £18 million pay deal given to presenter Jonathan Ross. Theo Leggett, the Corporation’s Brussels-based Europe business reporter, slammed bosses for wooing the chat show host at a time of swingeing job cuts.
Wossy recently signed a reported £18 million three-year golden handcuffs deal. In a letter to the BBC’s in-house magazine Ariel, the reporter said: "At a time when managers are culling staff in the name of ’value for money’, it is little short of obscene that a single performer, however talented, can earn (a reported) £6 million a year.
"Over the past 18 months, management have been trying to close 330 posts in news alone in order to save cash. "The implication here is clear: the BBC is willing to compromise its news operation in order to secure the services of one supposed ratings-grabber. I’m not sure that’s what public service broadcasting is supposed to be about."
And Jonathan is not the only well-paid star - a series of leaks earlier this year claimed that Jeremy Paxman is paid £940,000 a year, Sir Terry Wogan gets £800,000 a year and Chris Moyles pockets an annual £630,000.
Graham Norton signed a new three-year deal last month reported to be worth £5 million, while Little Britain’s David Walliams and Matt Lucas are said to be picking up £6 million.
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He began his career in television as a researcher but in 1987 made his mark with The Last Resort With Jonathan Ross, a late night chat show. Over the years he became increasingly popular, hosting Comic Relief, It’s Only TV But I Like It and appearing on They Think It’s All Over.
In 1999 he took over from Barry Norman as the face of Film (insert year here), which allowed him to indulge his love of the big screen and, in particular, Far Eastern cinema. Having previously hosted shows on Virgin and Radio One he is now a regular presenter on Radio Two and was voted as having the Sexiest Male Voice in a survey by Trojan Condoms, despite having a rhotacism (meaning he pronounces an R as W). His controversial BBC salary also covers Ross’ own TV show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.
Jonathan is married to fellow TV presenter and journalist Jane Goldman, they were hitched in 1988 when Jane was just eighteen. They have three children, Betty Kitty, Harvey Kirby and Honey Kinney and live in London with several bizarre pets, inlcuding sheep and lizards.
October 2007