Ross is leaving the BBC

Controversial presenter Jonathan Ross has stated he is quitting...

11:03 07 January 2010

Controversial presenter Jonathan Ross has announced he is quitting the BBC after working there for 13 years.

The star, who hosts his own Radio 2 programme, chat show and film review series all for the BBC, has stated that his decision to leave was not "financially motivated".

Ross became the highest paid television personality in Britain when a three-year BBC contract for £18 million (£6m per year) secured his star power until 2010.

In a statement, Ross said: "Although I have had a wonderful time working for the BBC and am very proud of the shows I have made while there, over the last two weeks I have decided not to renegotiate when my current contract comes to an end

"I signed my current contract with the BBC having turned down more lucrative offers from other channels because it was where I wanted to be and – as I have said before – would happily have stayed there for any fee they cared to offer, but there were other considerations."

The father-of-three concluded: "I love making my Friday night talk show, my Saturday morning radio show and the film programme, and will miss them all. I look forward to continuing work on these shows until the Summer, and I will continue hosting the Bafta Film Awards, Comic Relief and other BBC specials."

2008 was a particularly controversial year for the outspoken presenter, following a series of scandalous phone calls to veteran ‘Fawlty Towers’ actor Andrew Sachs on Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show. The media frenzy which ensued saw Ross suspended without pay and Brand quit the BBC.

Ross is married to screenwriter, presenter and model Jane Goldman and has won three BAFTAs for his work on ‘Friday Night With Jonathan RossÂ’.