AN astonishingly frank interview on BBC Radio Five Live today shedding new light on the Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross saga.
Radio Two presenter Paul Gambacinni revealed the inside story behind the resignation of network controller Lesley Douglas.
He told how Brand had sacked several producers and was a time bomb waiting to go off.
The veteran broadcaster also predicted that the official inquiry would find “about a dozen items that will make their hair curl on end”.
Like many people, I’m greatly saddened that Manchester University graduate Lesley felt she had to resign from the job she loved.
It appears she wasn’t directly involved but did the honourable thing to protect members of her Radio Two team.

A slightly strange evening at this year’s National Television Awards.
I arrived at the Royal Albert Hall in London last night just as news broke of Russell Brand’s resignation from his BBC show.
Swiftly followed by the announcement that David Tennant was quitting his role as Doctor Who after four specials next year.
That came at 7.27pm – half an hour before the awards began.
But details of his decision to leave, and an interview with David, were embargoed until after he spoke at the awards.
So most of the audience were hearing the news for the first time when he announced it via a live video link during the ceremony.
Normally the awards are screened “as live” on ITV1, with a time lag of around half an hour to actual events at the Albert Hall.

STRICTLY Come Dancing star Andrew Castle has denied reports that he may have to quit the BBC1 show.
It was claimed he was “petrified” that a knee injury suffered during rehearsals would spell the end of his dancefloor partnership with Ola Jordan.
But Andrew, 44, told GMTV viewers this morning: “What’s all this about me pulling out?
“I’m not pulling out of Strictly Come Dancing.
“I was sliding in on my knees on Monday during practice and my knee went click.
“So the BBC said, ‘You’ve got to go and get that scanned,’ because the physio said there was a possible injury there.
“And I’m getting the results of that scan a little bit later on.
“But, look, the worst thing that’s going to happen is I’m not going to do my patented knee slide into the beginning of my Samba.

THE pouring rain seemed to mirror Scott Bruton’s screen tears when I met him earlier today in central London.
Happily – less than 12 hours after his X Factor elimination – young Scott had a smile on his face.
He chatted at a relaxed mid-morning press conference – and also thanked MEN readers for their support.
You can read the news story here.
And check out the audio files at the bottom of this blog.
I know fans of Manchester-raised Scott will want to know more.
So here are some edited extracts of what he said today:
First question…how was he feeling?
“I’m feeling good. Obviously I was a bit devastated yesterday. But after it’s sunk in, you’ve just got to realise that things like this happen and I’m hoping to work off the back of The X Factor now.
“I’m really feeling good about my future. It’s the start of the rest of my life. Congratulations to Danny, he pulled out an amazing performance.”

VERY sad news to report in today’s MEN.
Actor John Axon has died from a suspected heart attack.
Known to millions as hospital administrator Mr Harper in ITV1’s The Royal, he collapsed near his Stockport home earlier this week.
John, 48, had begun rehearsals for a guest role in Shameless when he died and had appeared in many TV series from Phonenix Nights to Life On Mars.
His agent Tim Scott told me that his death had come as a huge shock to everyone who knew John and worked with him.
“Aside from being really talented, he was a really funny, jovial man who always had a smile on his face.
“No-one ever had a bad word to say about him.”

THERE will be extra interest in the TV ratings released next Monday morning.
Will ITV1’s new Sunday night musical drama Britannia High be a hit?
The first episode goes out at 6.15pm in a direct clash with BBC1’s Antiques Roadshow.
So that should ease the path to reaching younger viewers.
Unless they’re busy on eBay selling off the family silver.
But the Manchester and Salford filmed series – which is actually set in London – also needs to attract a family audience.
The timeslot for episode one means Britannia High avoids a clash with the Strictly Come Dancing results show at 7.15pm.
But it feels like just too early a start for many older viewers, even taking into account the fact that the clocks go back this weekend.
Thanks to ITV1’s coverage of the Brazilian Grand Prix, episode two a week on Sunday starts at 7pm.

DANIEL Craig fans won’t be disappointed by his interview on a South Bank Show special this week.
The actor who re-invented James Bond is as relaxed and candid as you like when talking to Melvyn Bragg.
He confirms his deal to film four Bond films.
That includes his triumphant 2006 debut in Casino Royale.
And Quantum of Solace, which opens in the UK on October 31.
There are plenty of clips from the new film along with archive material of Bond through the decades.
Plus interviews with Sean Connery, Judi Dench and several others involved in the 007 story.

JUST hours away now from the second live studio show of The X Factor 2008.
For some reason, yesterday’s MEN story on Scott Bruton did not go online.
That means I can’t post a link as promised in yesterday’s blog.
But here’s what it said:
X Factor finalist Scott Bruton has revealed how the support of fans in Manchester rescued him from tearful despair.
“I feel like I’m the luckiest man in Britain,” said Clayton-raised Scott, who broke down in tears on last Saturday’s first live studio show.
Now he aims to serve up a winning performance – and hopes Bolton comedy star Peter Kay will pay a visit to The X Factor.

SCOTT Bruton told me this week how The X Factor finalists watched Peter Kay’s spoof reality comedy last Sunday.
And it turns out that Laura White isn’t the only act who has met Mr Kay.
While she once sang alongside Peter when he switched on Bolton’s Christmas lights, Scott served him in Argos.
There’s another story on Scott in today’s MEN.
Update: You can read what it said here.
Due to space restrictions, his Peter Kay anecdote was cut from the page.
But here’s what Manchester-raised Scott told me:
“I used to work at Argos in Ancoats a couple of years ago and I served him.
“He was buying a Thomas the Tank engine set for his little lad.

IT’S been a pleasure to interview all three of the north west X Factor finalists ahead of tonight’s first live show.
Last, but not least, this week was Diana Vickers.
She told me she is having dreams about appearing on stage in front of the judges.
Diana also vowed not to change her style, despite her X Factor makeover pictured on this page.
You can read the online version of today’s MEN story here.
And check out my interviews with Laura White and Scott Bruton.
Quirky Diana, 17, also spoke about her reaction to a tabloid story last weekend which used photos of her on a night out.
It claimed she was a “wild child” who “loves boozy nights out” – but it looked to me like a story created to fit the pictures.