An investigation by Banijay UK has revealed that concerns about Russell Brand’s behavior while working on Channel 4 programs were not properly addressed. Brand, accused last year of rape, assault, and emotional abuse, was involved in several shows produced by Endemol, which Banijay later acquired.
Although no formal complaints were lodged during his tenure, there were informal concerns about his conduct, such as making female crew members uncomfortable and making inappropriate requests to runners. These issues were noted but not adequately escalated.
The investigation, led by Karen Baxter from the law firm Lewis Silkin, highlighted that Brand was known as a recovering drug addict with a reputation for being edgy. However, no specific safeguards were implemented to protect him, the staff, or the audience. The investigation found that informal concerns raised were not adequately addressed by senior staff, which reflects a significant oversight in handling such issues at the time.
Following the allegations against Brand, the BBC and Channel 4 removed his content from their platforms, and YouTube demonetized his channel, significantly affecting his income.
A 2009 complaint about Brand to Channel 4 was also not properly investigated, leading to accusations of a “whitewash” by a woman who felt unsupported and disempowered. This reflects broader issues in how allegations were handled by the broadcaster.
Channel 4’s internal review admitted that a serious complaint from 2009 was not escalated as it should have been, but found no evidence of awareness within the channel about claims made by four women in a Dispatches documentary aired in September of the previous year. This underscores a failure in the communication and escalation processes of complaints within the organization.
Patrick Holland, Banijay UK’s chief executive, apologized to those impacted, acknowledging that the support and escalation procedures at the time were inadequate compared to current standards.
He emphasized that industry protocols and duty of care expectations have significantly improved and continue to be updated. Holland expressed regret for the lapses in addressing the concerns and assured that contemporary processes are more robust and effective.
