BBC, C4 & Banijay investigate Russell Brand sex assault allegations

Russell Brand

The BBC, Channel 4 and Banijay are investigating the conduct of Russell Brand, following serious allegations against the UK-based comedian and actor over the weekend.

The Sunday Times, The Times and the team behind C4’s Dispatches programme were behind a year-long investigation into Brand, with the subsequent reports published and broadcast this weekend accusing the star of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse.

Brand has denied all the allegations, publishing a YouTube video on Friday evening refuting the accusations from four women.

The incidents are claimed to have taken place between 2006 and 2013. During this time, Brand hosted a show on BBC Radio 6 Music and worked on C4’s Big Brother spin-off shows (produced by Endemol, which has since been acquired by Banijay).

A BBC spokesperson said: “The documentary and associated reports contained serious allegations, spanning a number of years. Russell Brand worked on BBC radio programmes between 2006 and 2008 and we are urgently looking into the issues raised.”

A C4 statement said it was conducting an internal investigation and urged “anyone who is aware of such behaviour to contact us directly.”

A statement from Banijay UK said: “In light of the very serious allegations raised by Dispatches and The Times/Sunday Times investigation relating to the alleged serious misconduct of Russell Brand while presenting shows produced by Endemol in 2004 and 2005, Banijay UK has launched an urgent internal investigation and will cooperate with any requests for information from broadcast partners and external agencies.

“We also encourage anybody who feels that they were affected by Brand’s behaviour while working on these productions to contact us in confidence.”

The production group added: “While the legacy company, Endemol, did have a code of conduct, support policies and escalation procedures in place during the period in question (2004/2005) they were not as robust as our current processes. We are sorry these women did not feel supported and protected while working on these productions and in light of these serious allegations encourage to them to contact us in confidence.”