Shamed Radio WM DJ Danny Kelly apologises

Shamed Radio WM DJ Danny Kelly has apologised to listeners, after he was taken off air a week ago.

The 39-year-old presenter, who is described as "outrageous, outspoken and often hilarious" on the BBC Birmingham website, told listeners he had an announcement to make during his afternoon show last Monday, while playing God Save The Queen.

First he said he had some "astonishing news". Then he added: "Sorry to break this news but Queen Elizabeth the Second has indeed died."

He continued to say he was talking about a Facebook user who had been using the same name as Her Majesty who had disappeared from the social networking website.

Kelly, who has worked in radio for 10 years, opened his 2pm show yesterday with a formal apology to listeners. He said: "Last week on this programme I made some inappropriate remarks about Her Majesty the Queen.

"They were wrong and in breach of the BBC guidelines. I am very sorry for the offence that I have caused."

He then kicked off the show with the song I Can Make You Feel Good, by Shalamar.

Weekend morning host Mollie Green had been standing in on the show for the past week.

At the time a BBC spokesman said the comment had been made during a "light-hearted piece about social media friends" and that it had been corrected on-air immediately after it was made.

Kelly's producer, Mark Newman, immediately interrupted the programme after the fake announcement, saying, "You can't say that."

The DJ then added that actually the real Queen is "alive and kicking".

Vivianne Paterson, chairman of Mediawatch-UK, Britain's radio and television watchdog, said that the statement had been in bad taste.

"I think it is incredibly ill-conceived, I think it's a bit sick actually," she said.

"I think because it's the Queen and they treated it like a big announcement it makes things worse.

"It's the BBC we are talking about here, and there's a certain expectation from them."

The description of the Liverpudlian presenter on the BB WM website says: "You never know what will happen next, but it's guaranteed to put a smile on your face."