Hang on, I've just seen the joke! It's a show for teenagers, right? An there's two old farts, trying to make out they're still teenage lads, late on a Sat'day night - out of their minds - and larking about, except they're really gross. And old enough to be your Dad!
Pathetic! They should grow up!

Nigel MacNicol, Oakham, Rutland, UK

I agree.

He's a clever man with no-one saying no. I didn't like his humour before, but I think he'll be a better person as a result of looking in at himself.

Charles, London,

It doesn't matter that Sachs is elderly or much loved. YOU DON'T TREAT PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

Jon, North West, UK

Criticism against Ross is more virulent, firstly because he's been in show-business long enough to have learnt what is and isn't appropriate; secondly because he's paid a vast sum of money from the license fee, both on it's own as well as compared to Brand.

Calvin Graham, London, United Kingdom

Well done to the BBC for suspending these two overpaid men. Disappointed in Jonathon Ross. As a family man I would have expected better from him and wonder what his reaction would have been had the 'joke' been at the expense of his wife or children. The 'other one', not surprised at all.

Anne, Southport, Merseyside

Ross used to be funny but he has become predictable and increasingly course. Sack him. Brand is occasionally funny but his reactions show that he obviously does not care in the least for the feelings of the Sachs family. Sack him.

It's time to scrap the bbc tax.

MrDavies, Luton,

An apology for his granddaughter? She works as a risque burlesque performer and was up for it with Ross, as the saying goes, as much as he was. Saying in public you had sex with someone is not exactly heinous.

Joe, Manchester,

comedians need to push limits but this amounted to nothing more than high school bullying resulting in a vile phone call to the grandfather of the girl who was unfortunate enough to have had sex with one of the perpetrators. really disappointed in jonathan ross's taste.

mhairie, edinburgh, uk

They eptitomise the lowering of standards with uncouth behaviour. Most people are tired of being given these two as entertainment. They have for a long time brought broadcasting into dirsepute. Equity should withdraw their cards.

Desi, Eastleigh, UK

This is all getting way over the top. Yes they shouldnt have done it and apologies should be made. But sacking? Comments made by MPs? An Ofcom investigation?

Do me a favour, is there nothing better for us to be talking about? No one complained till the blanket media coverage!

Sarah , London, UK

How many people actually listened to the show?
Thought so.
"Get sacked" they cry... please, if this isn't just one more excuse for the Daily Express readers to bash the license fee! And don't kid yourself that if they did get sacked that some other station wouldn't pay them 3 times what BBC does!

Sarah, Wigan, UK

To be honest I think the first rule of comedy is to be FUNNY - I point which seems to elude Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross.

If the joke had actually been amusing then I'd be defending them for doing this.

Owen, London, UK

I don't think Natalie Haynes was advocating bullying. It is entirely fair and reasonable to observe that whether or not jokes are accepteble to the public often depends on the status or 'power' of the person concerned. Andrew Sachs is much loved, elderly and so the public is appalled.

P.Kirkup, Durham City,

Natalie Haynes, have you ever wondered how successful you would be as a comedian if you were actually funny?

M. N Shukla, Lagos, Nigeria

The new series of phone jackers jokes have become increasingly less funny and either more aggressive or of a sexual nature and that is calling up all types of ordinary people. Why does no one complain about this? Perhaps it is becuase there is not a band wagon to jump on?

Dom Finn, Nottingham, England

...."a delicate balancing act"? As if it were a matter of fine discrimination whether this was acceptable or not!

Graham Rounce, London, UK

Joke? No - abusive phone calling is a crime. Sack them both

Jeremy Poynton, Frome, United Kingdom

No doubt about it; they crossed the line, both should be sacked. What they did is offensive and not funny. The programme editor should also be sacked. The BBC is supposed to uphold standards and should know where to draw the line.

andrew smith, andover,

Why should anyone have to put up with obscene phone calls or being made ot look a fool just so some contemptible 'comedian' can earm more money. No one should be held up to public ridicule without their consent obtained in advance. Time we started cleaning up this country.

Neil Murphy, cromer,

What I can't understand about all of this is that I cannot think of any circumstances that would make it seem funny to leave a message like this on someone's phone? The BBC have used the excuse that Ross is an "edgy" comedian, whereas in reality he's an overpaid egotistical presenter.

Steve H, Scunthorpe, UK

I'm sick of the BBC, I'm sick of the offensive verbal diarrhea that comes out of the mouths of Brand and Ross. Maybe there should be a boycott of the Licence fee because the attitude of the BBC beggars belief. Ross gets 6 million per year but I fail to see what talent he has, maybe I'm just stupid?

graham, St. Albans, uk

What is an "unpleasant male sex joke", Jane? Is it a joke told by a "male" which you judge to be unpleasant? Is it worse than an "unpleasant 'female' sex joke"? Does such a thing exist?

The BBC has been for years a bullying propaganda machine. Usually no-one cares. Why is this such a big deal?

David , London, UK

The article misses a significant point: 'rich and famous' is not necessarily a target for humour: add, 'unpopular'/'dislikeable', which explains why jokes about McCain abound, and ones about Sachs don't. No one has a bad word for Sachs, hence the furore over words inappropriate in any situation.

Jane Davey, HEREFORD,

Let's see - what are the words used to disguise and excuse filth? Adult? Mature? Gritty? Grown-up? Funny? A prank? There's something basically wrong with people who can think and act like these two, isn't there?

john problem, Hackney Wick, UK

Resignation? They should both be fired.

Steve Jacks, London,

What these two overpaid, arrogant, pompous, worthless idiots did was abuse and bullying. They picked on someone specific and repeatedly abused him and his granddaughter. It is not funny to deliberately upset and hurt someone. This is nothing to do with having a sense of humour or not.

Nicola, Oxford, England

A huge aspect of skill of comedy is in the delivery of the joke. The tone of the voice, tempo, timing etc. It is almost a like story telling technique. A crafty comedian can turn a boring sentence into a funny one just by the way he/she say it. So those comments shouldnt be judged on how it reads.

Jay, London, UK

what is gordon brown doing?
it is a measure of the intellectual status of the man that he feels he needs to get involved in such a debate.

irrespective of how badly any radio joke is or is not taken by the public he should not be involved.
embarrassing.

david jones, london,

I've not heard the prank call but calling for sacking seems a bit much. All these kinds of calls are to some degree offensive and distressing to the people invovled. But it's momentary until your brain realises what's going on. Anyway being a dancer in Satanic Sluts Extreme leaves you open to jokes.

Natacha, Adelaide,

Natalie - If it's distressing to the person on the receiving end, it's not relevant whether it's funny. You seem to be saying it's OK to bully people as long as it makes other people laugh.

Malcolm, London, UK

Very well written. It is about power. Brand and Ross seem to feel they are invincible. That they can say what they like with impunity. Brand should've known better having retracted comments he made about Rod Stewarts daughter at Stewarts insistence. Ross should've known better, he has daughters

Anne, nottingham,

Jokes turned on oneself allows far more range. These two came across as "bullies" and deserve short shrift. Better they apologize quickly & publicly.

C.Brooks, Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Interesting that only four complaints were made at the time but four thousand when it received wide coverage on the BBC news. Can't help thinking that the news coverage may have been connected with JRs salary being aired the same time a large number of BBC news staff were being made redundant?

John Parker, Villiers sous Grez, France

An unpleasant male sex joke is offensive who ever says it. When the joker gets millions of pounds from his audience via a viewing fee, he owes them more respect. Don't resign, get sacked.

JANE FLEMING, Whittlesey, United Kingdom