The BBC has issued new guidelines to tighten up editorial standards and compliance procedures, following the furore over prank calls to Andrew Sachs.
The new rules will ban celebrity hosts or their agents from taking responsibility for the editorial standards for the television and radio shows in which they appear, leaving them free to concentrate on the creative aspects.
The guidelines follow the lewd calls made to the Fawlty Towers actor by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand on Brand's Radio 2 show, over which Brand resigned.
Brand's show was made by his own production company Vanity Projects.
George Entwistle, controller of editorial standards, BBC Vision, said: "On-screen and on-air talent plays a vital role in BBC productions, both independent and in-house, and their creative input is very highly valued.
"But creative input must not be confused with responsibility for editorial standards and compliance.
"Artists and their agents need to be free to focus on the creative process while another senior member of the team takes responsibility for ensuring that compliance procedures are followed and editorial standards are met."
The BBC Trust's Editorial Standards Committee recently asked the BBC executive to look at procedures in place for all programmes where the production company is owned and/or managed by the featured performer.
The changes come amid concerns about the potential for conflicts of interest.
In November, the BBC Trust found that repeated failures of editorial judgment allowed swearing and other offensive material to be aired in a number of TV and radio programmes, including Brand's show.
