Although BBC bosses have been keen to emphasise that the presenter’s return to Radio 2 is one a “one off” basis, the decision for him to take to the airwaves has been a controversial one, with some critics - including Gordon Sparks - claiming he shouldn’t be allowed back.
Writing in the corporation’s online magazine, Ariel, Gordon says: “What a disgrace it is that Jonathan Ross is to return to Radio 2, albeit as a stand-in.
"Following Sachsgate six years ago, it is my opinion that neither he nor Russell Brand should have received any further remuneration from the BBC."
Jonathan received a three-month ban from the BBC in 2008, following an incident during Russell Brand’s radio show where they were heard leaving lewd messages on Andrew Sachs’s voicemail about Russell sleeping with his granddaughter.
The incident, dubbed ‘Sachsgate’, attracted 42,000 complaints from listeners, a controversy that pushed Russell to quit his show, with Jonathan eventually leaving the BBC around 18 months after his ban ended.
Someone else who feels strongly opposed to Jonathan’s brief Radio 2 comeback is Andrew Sachs’s wife, Melody, who has described it as “a slap in the face”.
Since leaving the BBC, the presenter has found a new home on ITV, where he presents the Saturday night talk show, ‘The Jonathan Ross Show’, with a new series scheduled for October.
BBC scandals
Spaghetti (01 of09)
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A hoax report about a spaghetti tree was broadcast in 1957 on the BBC for April Fool's Day. However many believed the hoax, which was later described as "the biggest hoax that any reputable news establishment ever pulled." (credit:Alamy)
The Queen(02 of09)
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The BBC had to apologise when security correspondent Frank Gardner revealed the Queen raised concerns about radical cleric Abu Hamza. "This is a conversation we had a little while ago and she did say that she had mentioned to - I don't know which Home Secretary it was at the time - that was there not some law he [Abu Hamza] had broken," he said. (credit:AP)
Clarkson breaches BBC guidelines(03 of09)
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Clarkson, who breached BBC guidelines by comparing a Japanese car to people with growths on their faces.The BBC apologised to the Mexican ambassador after Clarkson branded Mexicans "lazy", "feckless" and "flatulent" in 2011.Equally it had to pull out of a deal to produce sat navs with Clarkson's voice after it would find it breached guidelines. (credit:PA)
Frank Bough(04 of09)
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Frank Bough was sacked by the BBC after he was linked to a sex and drugs scandal. Former news of the world deputy editor Paul Connew, said the scandal caused a sensation at the time, given Bough's public image as the squeaky clean frontman of breakfast and sports television." (credit:PA)
Sachsgate(05 of09)
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Jonathan Ross million-pound BBC contract was not renewed after he and Russell Brand left a series of voice messages on actor Andrew Sachs' phone about how Brand had slept with the Fawlty Towers actor's grand daughter.In one call Ross called out "he f`***ked your granddaughter." (credit:PA)
Richard Bacon(06 of09)
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Richard Bacon was sacked by children's TV show Blue Peter in 1998 after allegations of drug taking (credit:PA)
The Jubilee Coverage(07 of09)
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The BBC received more than 2,400 complaints from the public about some of the live broadcasts during the national celebrations.It drew stinging criticism during the river pageant broadcast, with viewers attacking its "inane" commentary, camera angles and sound quality.Some people also singled out a sequence in Tuesday's coverage which saw Fearne Cotton and Paloma Faith discussing a Jubilee-themed sickbag. (credit:PA)
Blue Peter cat (08 of09)
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The BBC apologised after a poll to name the Blue Peter cat was rigged - with the feline being named Socks despite Cookie winning the online poll.Presenter Zoe Salmon said: "We'd like to say that we're sorry."(Cookie not pictured here)
David Kelly (09 of09)
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Dr David Kelly killed himself after being named as the source for a BBC story about "sexing up" a government dossier on weapons of mass destruction. His death led to the resignation of BBC director general in 2004. (credit:PA)