BBC urged to investigate 'WhatsApp gossip' about stars after Brand claims
The BBC has been told to investigate "WhatsApp gossip" about other UK celebrities following allegations against Russell Brand.
He was the subject of Channel 4's Dispatches documentary where he was accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse. He has denied the allegations and said all of his sexual relationships have been consensual.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, has urged broadcasters to "clean house" as a result of the claims against the comedian, urging them, to investigate allegations by whistleblowers of alleged misuse of power on programmes.
"Broadcasters should use the Brand claims to 'clean house' and proactively investigate any other cases that are 'open secrets' within industry gossip and WhatsApp groups," Dame Caroline said, admitting fears TV bosses 'turn a blind eye to reports of bad behaviour'.
Dame Caroline Dinenage has urged the BBC to investigate claims of WhatsApp gossip (Handout)
Russell has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse – all of which he denies (Getty Images)She told the i newspaper: "My concern is when people in power are aware of rumours or stories yet don’t act, then a culture is allowed to permeate." It comes as reports suggest the BBC faces 29 current claims of bullying and sexual harassment against unknown individuals.
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Russell was the subject of a Channel 4's Dispatches documentary where he was accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse, claims he vehemently denies. Four women spoke in the programme, as well as being quoted in an article by The Times newspaper, and the Sunday Times, three others have since spoken out.
Brand has denied any allegations. In a statement on his YouTube channel, he said: "Now, this isn't the usual type of video we make on this channel where we critique, attack and undermine the news in all its corruption because in this story, I am the news. 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? Particularly when we've seen coordinated media attacks before, like with Joe Rogan, when he dared to take a medicine that the mainstream media didn't approve of, and we saw a spate of headlines from media outlets across the world using the same language.
"I'm aware that you guys have been saying in the comments for a while, watch out, Russell. They're coming from you. You're getting too close to the truth. Russell Brand did not kill himself. I know that a year ago there was a spate of articles. Russell Brand’s a conspiracy theorist, Russell Brand’s right wing. I'm aware of news media making phone calls, sending letters to people I know for ages and ages. It's being clear to me, or at least it feels to me like there's a serious and concerted agenda to control these kind of spaces and these kinds of voices. And I mean, my voice along with your voice.
"I don't mind them using my books and my standout to talk about my promiscuous consensual conduct in the past. What I seriously refute are these very, very serious criminal allegations. Also, it's worth mentioning that there are witnesses whose evidence directly contradicts the narrative that these two mainstream media outlets are trying to construct, apparently, in what seems to me to be a coordinated attack."
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
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