On hold: Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw banned from airing prank calls after royal nurse suicide

On hold: Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw banned from airing prank calls after royal nurse suicide

20 Dec 2012 00:00

BBC chiefs have suspended Breakfast Show host Grimmy’s popular Call or Delete feature out of respect for mum-of-two Jacintha Saldanha

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Joker: Grimmy's prank calls are on hold

PA

Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw has been banned from airing prank calls in the wake of the suicide of royal hoax nurse Jacintha Saldanha.

BBC chiefs have suspended Breakfast Show host Grimmy’s popular Call or Delete feature out of respect for mum-of-two Jacintha.

She was found hanged after being duped by the prank call that two Australian radio DJs made to the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for morning sickness.

The Call or Delete segment has not aired since Jacintha’s body was discovered on December 7.

But sources say 28-year-old Grimmy’s pranks, which are recorded off air then played during the show, will probably return next year.

Boy band JLS, X Factor judge Tulisa, 24, and chart topper Olly Murs, 28, are among the celebrities who have been featured in the segment since Grimmy took over in September.

The stars are told to scroll through the contacts list on their mobile, stop randomly on a number and then f ace the choice of making an outrageous prank call to that person or deleting the number.

A Radio 1 spokeswoman said: “Despite rigorous editorial procedures around the use of hoax calls on air, given recent events we have decided to suspend the Call or Delete feature for the time being.”

A station insider said: “The calls are recorded off air and as soon as it’s over, the person being pranked is rung back and let in on the joke.

“Most see the funny side and give permission for the call to go on air. Even then, it is passed up to the top bosses to have the final say.

“We all expect Grimmy to be allowed to make the calls again next year.”

Despite the ban, promotional material wrongly said yesterday that crooner Michael Buble’s hoax call was appearing on yesterday’s show.

Jacintha took her own life days after Mel Greig and Michael Christian pranked the King Edward VII’s Hospital in London.

The DJs convinced Jacintha, 46, to transfer the call to another nurse who divulged details of Kate’s condition.

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