Radio One duo facing sack

Radio One DJs John Peel and Jo Whiley have been suspended indefinitely by the BBC on misconduct charges following a violent on-air brawl that caused over £1,000 worth of damage.

The veteran broadcasters have been at odds for the last few weeks, after a disagreement over the best new artist of 2002.

Bringing you the best in new music

The row went public last week when the pair were invited to appear on Marc Radcliffe's afternoon show, to resolve their argument amicably with Radcliffe as referee, but the slanging match swiftly descended into a fist-fight which left Peel, 62, with a bloody nose and bruised beard.

Reel-to-reel

But the Liverpudlian broadcaster steadfastly refused to concede on-air that Barnsley three-piece Book were the best band he'd heard this year, even when Whiley was throttling him with reel-to-reel tape, and hissing 'say it... SAY IT!' in an alarming way.

Producers alerted security staff after Peel escaped from the stranglehold and retaliated by throwing Whiley head-first through the glass dividing wall, but in spite of the severe warnings handed out to both participants, the original argument remains unresolved.

'I've always loathed John', says Whiley, 'so he'd never admit that I'm right. Deep down I think he knows that Book are the best new band to come out of the UK scene for a long time.'

Peel continues to disagree: 'This year I've heard sessions from Cashpoint, The Cocks and Paedophile Umbrella, and to be honest Book would struggle manfully to hold the proverbial candle to any of these acts.'