PHONE-IN scandals, the Jonathan Ross-Russell Brand saga, expenses revelations – the BBC has taken some fearful hits to its reputation in the past year.

The Corporation is under massive pressure to justify its licence fee revenues, and is being a lot more careful with the content it broadcasts.

That’s a concern for edgy young comedian Russell Howard, who returns as a panellist in the seventh series of Mock The Week on BBC Two.

The 29-year-old took over from Brand when the controversial comedian left his Sunday morning slot on BBC 6 in late 2006, but quit after a year and a half.

"You’re just in a room talking with your mates. And, when you’re with your mates, what do you do? You get naughtier and naughtier," he recalls.

"Then you slowly forget what you’re doing is public broadcasting. So I stopped because I just didn’t like the idea of being in someone’s house talking in the morning."

Howard has some sympathy for Brand, who has fled to the United States to pursue an acting career in the wake of his ill-judged prank calls, with Ross, to Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.

"I find it really depressing because maybe 0.5% of the population cared and the rest of the nation were just shrugging their shoulders going, ’Hmmm, I’m not really bothered’," he says.

"What might happen now is we get comedy which is not as innovative because people are worried about trivial things. I imagine, though, it’ll blow over."

Howard insists he will pull no punches in Mock The Week, with his role alongside host Dara O’Briain and fellow panellists Frankie Boyle and Andy Parsons.

"After the Russell Brand- Jonathan Ross thing, we don’t have to be toothless," he says. "That would be a real shame. Half the battle is compliance – what can and can’t be shown.

"It’s not the usual topical joke show. What I like about Mock The Week is that it’s big belly laughs, rather than that kind of sneering laugh."