Investigation finds 'no evidence' CH4 were aware of Russell Brand's behaviour
A Channel 4 investigation into Russell Brand during his time at the broadcaster has found “no evidence” they were informed of any allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
The boss of Channel 4 says they have “carried out extensive document searches and thus far have found no evidence to suggest the alleged incidents” about the comedian were reported to management. The 48-year-old is facing allegations of rape, emotional abuse and sexual assault during the time he worked at the BBC, Channel 4 and starred in several high-profile movies. Brand has strongly denied these allegations and claims his relationships were always consensual.
A joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches, which also included claims of abusive and predatory behaviour, included a statement from one researcher, who claimed concerns about Brand’s behaviour were reported to production managers at Endemol, the company commissioned by Channel 4 to produce the programmes in 2004 and 2005. They claimed they were dismissed, and Channel 4 has since launched an investigation into his time at the channel.
Russell hosted Big Brother's Big Mouth (REX/Shutterstock)Russell, 48, was also accused of pursuing audience members for sex while presenting the broadcaster’s Big Brother spin-off shows EFourum and Big Brother’s Big Mouth. On Tuesday, Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage wrote to several broadcasters, including Channel 4, to request further details on what actions they are taking in response to the allegations. She asked for the broadcaster to set out the time for completion of the investigation and urged it to “disclose” the information that can be made public.
In a letter to the commons committee on Monday, and published on Tuesday online, Channel 4 chief executive Alex Mahon said: “Since becoming aware of some of the allegations, just over a week ago, we have carried out extensive document searches and thus far have found no evidence to suggest the alleged incidents were brought to the attention of Channel 4 management at the time. We will continue to look at this issue and will forensically examine any further information, including the accounts of those affected.”
Jonathan Ross gets new radio show 15 years after scandal took him off air
He was accused of chasing audience members for sex (REX/Shutterstock)Another probe is being conducted by Banijay UK, which bought Endemol, the company commissioned by Channel 4 to produce the Big Brother spin-off shows the presenter hosted, into his behaviour while he was working on its programmes. The BBC has also announced a review into Brand’s time at BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music between 2006 and 2008 which the corporation’s director-general Tim Davie said will have an “initial report in weeks, not months”.
Brand denied all allegations, saying: "I've received two extremely disturbing letters or a letter and an email. One from a mainstream media TV company, one from a newspaper listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks, as well as some pretty stupid stuff like community festival should be stopped, that I shouldn't be able to attack mainstream media narratives on this channel.
"But amidst this litany of astonishing rather baroque attacks, often very serious allegations that I absolutely refute. These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream when I was in the newspapers all the time when I was in the movies. And as I've written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous.
"Now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual. I was always transparent about that. Then almost too transparent, and I'm being transparent about it now as well. And to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question, is there another agenda at play?"
If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
