EAST Anglian Daily Times and Evening Star Entertainment Writer Wayne Savage gives his reaction to the news that Jonathan Ross has quit the BBC.I WAS hoping for a TV remote at Christmas that knew when Jonathan Ross was coming on and automatically turned over - now it looks like I don't need one.

EAST Anglian Daily Times and Evening Star Entertainment Writer Wayne Savage gives his reaction to the news that Jonathan Ross has quit the BBC.

I WAS hoping for a TV remote at Christmas that knew when Jonathan Ross was coming on and automatically turned over - now it looks like I don't need one.

To be honest, I'm glad to see the back of him. It has nothing to with his enormous pay packet, who wouldn't happily pocket a few million for chatting to celebrities?

It's not even that stupid phone prank he pulled with Russell Brand, which I thought was blown out of proportion.

Veteran comedy actor Andrew Sachs may have been upset, but his granddaughter has done very well out of it. Can anybody honestly say they'd heard of Georgina Baille before the duo left lewd messages on his answering machine?

You couldn't buy a pint of milk down the shops afterwards without her scantily-clad body leering at you off the cover of umpteen magazines and newspapers.

Ross seemed contrite while breaking the news he was quitting the BBC after 13 years as one of its biggest stars - praising those he's worked with and interviewed over the years - but personally I didn't buy it.

No, what did it for me was his spiralling out of control ego, stomping over every show he hosts or appears on like some entertainment-crushing Godzilla.

I stopped watching They Think It's All Over, the Film Programme and his chat show when his need to be the biggest star in the room became too much.

Ross was on a sticky wicket ever since the Sachs stunt, with at least Brand having the decency - or career savvy - to know when to say sorry and quit while he was only slightly behind.

When you add that to the rest of us having to endure news of his huge earnings while tightening our belts, it's no surprise that his future at the corporation was reportedly looking shaky.

Chat show rival Graham Norton was rumoured to be stepping into his Friday night chat show slot and anybody who's watched the Culture Show's Mark Kermode could see him easily hosting the Film Programme Ross inherited from Barry Norman.

I don't believe money wasn't a factor either. Ross was one of many big BBC names rumoured to be in negotiations over their pay and had he been left with just his Radio 2 show he would've been facing a massive cut.

I caught his audition - sorry, appearance - on the Chelsea Lately chat show over on E! a while back so wasn't surprised when he tweeted yesterday that he was meeting somebody from Los Angeles, fuelling rumours he would head to the US.

The money he could earn there would make his UK rivals look like Oliver.

Sadly he'll still be doing some projects for the Beeb wherever he ends up. Personally, it's his Four Poofs and a Piano barbershop quartet I feel sorry for - now where's that TV remote catalogue…