Comedian Russell Brand has quit his BBC radio show hours after the British broadcaster suspended him for a controversial routine he put to air earlier this month.

Brand, 33, and well-known BBC radio host Jonathan Ross, 47, recently left lewd messages on the answering machine of actor Andrew Sachs, 78, with Ross claiming that Brand had slept with the actor's granddaughter.

Those messages were then broadcast on Oct. 18, as part of Brand's nationally broadcast radio show.

Ross was making a guest appearance on Brand's show during the offending broadcast.

The BBC has since received 18,000 complaints from members of the public and has heard criticism from Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

In a statement released Wednesday, BBC director general Mark Thompson called the prank phone calls a "gross lapse of taste" on the part of the suspended radio hosts, which resulted in "a completely unacceptable broadcast."

He said the two broadcasters have been suspended from their duties while the organization completes an investigation into their conduct.

Thompson also offered his "personal and unreserved apology" to Sachs, who is best known for playing the Spanish waiter Manuel on the sitcom "Fawlty Towers."

Both Brand and Ross have apologized for their actions.

According to the BBC website, Brand told reporters on Wednesday that he regretted offending the veteran actor.

"It would be silly of me to speak without thinking; because that's caused all this trouble in the first place," he said. "I am sorry that I upset Mr. Sachs."

Ross apologized for his "stupid error of judgement."

Hours after the BBC suspended Brand, the comedian announced Wednesday he was quitting his radio show, which drew two million listeners each week.

"I got a bit caught up in the moment and forgot that at the core of the rude comments and silly songs were the real feelings of a beloved and brilliant comic actor and a very sweet and big-hearted young woman," Brand said in a statement.

Sachs said he respected Brand's decision, and hoped the comedian could move on from the incident.

Brand hosted the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards and played a supporting role in the recent comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

According to his official website, he is scheduled to perform six U.S. shows next month, some of which will be part of an upcoming Comedy Central Special.

With files from The Associated Press