RUSSELL BRAND IS at the centre of separate internal investigations by Channel 4 and production company Banijay UK following allegations of serious misconduct, while the BBC said it is “urgently looking into the issues raised”.
The comedian and actor is facing sexual assault allegations from four women which allegedly occurred between 2006 and 2013, as well as claims of controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour, following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches.
Brand vehemently denies the allegations and said all of his relationships have been “consensual”, in a video posted online.
Here is a timeline of the allegations made against Brand:
A woman claims she was sexually assaulted by Brand during a three-month relationship when she was 16 and still at school in 2006.
The woman described his behaviour towards her as “grooming”, alleging he would provide her with scripts on how to deceive her parents into allowing her to visit him.
A woman alleges Brand sexually assaulted her and was physically and emotionally abusive towards her during a six-month relationship.
She made the allegations in a book published in 2014 and told The Sunday Times she stands by her account during its investigation.
A woman alleges that Brand raped her at his Los Angeles home on 1 July 2012.
A woman claims that Brand sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles and threatened to take legal action if she told anyone of the allegation.
The woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by Brand during a three-month relationship when she was 16, contacts his literary agent at the time, who was also the co-founder of talent agency Tavistock Wood.
A statement given to the PA news agency by Tavistock Wood said: “Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him. TW has terminated all professional ties to Brand.”
Brand posts a video online saying all of his relationships have been consensual, before accusing the media of a “coordinated attack”.
He adds: “Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute.
A joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches is published, detailing allegations made against Brand.
A 90-minute Channel 4 Dispatches special titled Russell Brand: In Plain Sight airs, in which the four unidentified women detail their allegations, while other women speak of their experiences of working with Brand on TV sets.
The special sees him accused of pursuing audience members for sex while presenting Big Brother spin-off shows EFourum and Big Brother’s Big Mouth on Channel 4, while other allegations related to when he was a radio presenter for the BBC.
A researcher claims 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, but were dismissed.
Channel 4 announces it is conducting “its own internal investigation” after the allegations about Brand, and encourages “anyone who is aware of such behaviour” to contact them.
Production company Banijay UK, which bought Endemol in 2020, also announces it is launching an “urgent internal investigation” in light of the allegations and similarly encouraging “anybody who feels that they were affected by Brand’s behaviour while working on these productions” to contact them.
The BBC says it is “urgently looking into the issues raised” while Brand worked on BBC radio programmes between 2006 and 2008, having first appeared on BBC 6 Music in April 2006 before he was moved to Radio 2 that November.
The Metropolitan Police says the force will speak to The Sunday Times and Channel 4 to ensure “any victims of crime who they have spoken with are aware of how they may report any criminal allegations to police”.
A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) says they do not have an open investigation into Brand, and another confirms there have been no arrests following two allegations that are said to have happened in the US.
The Times said it has been contacted by “several women” with claims about Brand since publication of the original allegations.
It said their allegations have not yet been investigated and “will now be rigorously checked”.
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