Presenter Jonathan Ross has been ticked off by BBC bosses for plugging his sister-in-law's restaurant on radio.

He spent two minutes telling 3.3 million listeners about the opening night of Eileen Ross' Sussex restaurant on his Saturday morning radio 2 show.

Now his producer Andy Davies has warned him to stay impartial during broadcasts. Senior broadcast journalist Mary Fox wrote to the BBC's in-house magazine Ariel saying Ross' comments were "unethical".

Her complaint was upheld by Stephen Whittle, controller of editorial policy, who agreed Ross had gone too far. But according to his sister-in-law, Jonathan's words were just "banter".

Eileen, new owner of the Old Priest House in London Road, Coldwaltham, near Pulborough, said he often spoke about his family on the radio.

She said: "If listeners heard Jonathan on the radio and now know about the restaurant, that's great. But at the end of the day, what matters is the food on the plate."

Jonathan's brother Miles joked: "I told him if you don't say something on radio, you better not show your face down here again. But seriously, he was not drumming up business and has no financial interest in the restaurant."

The couple, who moved to Coldwaltham from Arundel three months ago, said there had been no bad feeling from local restaurant owners.

Eileen, who met Miles through Jonathan, said: "We have been welcomed wholeheartedly into the community and are very grateful for that.

"We have had well-wishers knocking at our door, delivering cards and being very co-operative."

The couple did not hear the show because they were busy preparing the champagne and food for their opening night on January 26.

The couple have two children, Katharine, nine, and Miles, 13.

Eileen, who used to run Andrew Edmunds restaurant in Soho with her brother John Quigley, said: "We were looking for a house to buy and when I saw the Old Priest House, I fell in love".