LONDON, July 9 (UPI) -- British comedian Jonathan Ross has signed on to star in a new chat show for ITV, starting late next year, the network announced.
"I am thrilled and excited that after a short break, I will be rolling up my sleeves and creating a brand new show for ITV1," the BBC quoted Ross as saying.
The final episode of Ross's BBC series, "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross," is to be broadcast July 16.
He announced last January that he had no plans to renew his BBC contract after 13 years.
Ross made international headlines last year when he and comedian Russell Brand played an on-air radio prank and left obscene messages regarding Andrew Sachs's 23-year-old granddaughter on the elderly actor's voice-mail. The widely criticized stunt prompted Brand's resignation, Ross's suspension for 90 days and the departure of a BBC controller.
