Jonathan Ross The BBC have suspended Jonathan Ross for 12 weeks without pay.

And now he's stepped down from presenting the 2008 British Comedy Awards.

The moves follow Russell Brand's resignation over a radio prank they were both involved in.

A senior BBC chief has also quit over the controversy.

Jonathan's rep said of the British Comedy Awards, broadcast on ITV: "It's a show he very much enjoys being part of but would not want his participation in this year's event to take away from the awards themselves, or the many talented winners of the awards."

ITV Director of Television Peter Fincham said: "We respect Jonathan's decision to stand down from the 2008 British Comedy Awards which has been made with the full support of ITV and the show's producers."

The decision to suspend Wossy, one of the BBC's biggest stars, comes after the organisation's director general, Mark Thompson, held crisis meetings.

In a statement, he said:

"Jonathan Ross's contribution to this edition of the Russell  Brand show was utterly unacceptable and cannot be allowed to go  uncensored or without sanction."

It was also announced that Radio 2 will broadcast an on-air apology for the voicemails made by Russell and Jonathan to Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.

What was aimed to be edgy banter by the two presenters ended up triggering over 30,000 complaints from the public to broadcast watchdog Ofcom, and led to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, criticising their "inappropriate" behaviour.

Lesley Douglas, controller of BBC Radio 2, has also announced her resignation, saying that the decision was "mine and mine alone", and that she had made it with "enormous regret".