Sacked BBC presenter Tony Blackburn returned to the air on kmfm this afternoon with a special thank you to fans.

The presenter, who parted company with the BBC last week in a disagreement over his evidence to the Savile inquiry, started his show at 4pm by saying: "Hi everyone, I just wanted to say thank you very much indeed for all your support this week.

"Thanks very much to everyone at kmfm as well. You've been absolutely fabulous and I hope you enjoy the show."

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Tony had pre-recorded this week's show at the kmfm studio in Medway as he was due to go on holiday, but wanted to provide the new opening link after the controversy broke.

Earlier, he had claimed in an interview with BBC Radio 4 that the corporation had offered him the chance to resign and then return to work in a few months.

He said he had been told that by resigning "you don't cut off all ties, and we can probably bring you back in a few months".

But he said he had refused, adding: "I said: 'No I wouldn't do that, because I've got nothing to hide'."

The BBC said it had "parted company" with the Radio 2 DJ because he had not co-operated fully with the Jimmy Savile sex abuse inquiry.

BBC director general Lord Hall said Mr Blackburn "fell short of the standards of evidence that such an inquiry demanded".

The inquiry concluded that Mr Blackburn had been questioned by the BBC in 1971 about a complaint by a teenage girl. Mr Blackburn strenuously denies he was ever questioned.

Mr Blackburn added that he wished he had been "investigated properly" in 1971 "because we wouldn't be in the mess we are now".

"I was by myself, I told the truth, now if that's not up to BBC standards, I don't know what he means by that."

He now plans to sue the BBC.

A BBC spokesman said: "Clearly Mr Blackburn and the BBC are in disagreement on a range of issues. Our position hasn't changed.

"As matters are potentially subject to a legal process, we have nothing further to add at this stage."