Russell Brand: BBC ‘sent cars to pick up visiting schoolgirl’ with comedian

Caroline Nokes, chair of the equality select committee, said women who made allegations against Russell Brand “need to be brave again” and come forward to the police.

She told Times Radio that “trial by media” does not do justice. “It doesn’t provide any sort of insight for the victims. This will only happen if criminal charges are filed and the perpetrators are brought to justice and tried by a jury of their peers.

“I think we absolutely must pay tribute to these women who had the courage to speak out. Unfortunately, I think they’re going to have to be brave again, and they’re going to have to be very brave and go to the police.

Ron Brand, 80, took to Facebook after the allegations against his actor son were published over the weekend.

“Is this really the most important thing happening in this world? He asked. “Immigrants? Cost of living? Tens of thousands dead in Ukraine? Who is giving priority to BBC News. Who is really behind this vendetta?

Roger Bolton, former BBC editor and director of the Beeb Watch podcast, said: The independent the public must wonder why they helped make the brand so popular.

“We cannot absolve broadcasters of all responsibility,” he said. “I don’t want to give them a pass or excuse the BBC. But broadcasters are terrified of being disconnected from younger audiences and often react to what is popular.”

“We have to ask: why was he popular? He made no secret of his rather disgusting lifestyle. He didn’t hide it. We have to ask ourselves: why did we applaud this guy? Why the hell do people still go to his shows?

David Yelland, former editor of the Sun, said earlier that media culture allowed Brand to behave in a misogynistic manner. He told Radio 4’s Today programme: “We were all part of that culture. »

Conservative MP Caroline Dineage, chair of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee, said there could be a “thorough investigation” into the culture of “open secrets” in the entertainment industry. television.

She told Times Radio: “This is just the latest in a series of reports about the culture in our television industry, stories about situations where things were an open secret, things where people kept their mouths shut. eyes… And I just don’t do it. I don’t think it’s enough.

“It is therefore not impossible that the committee that I chair will decide to carry out an in-depth investigation into this type of behavior at the heart of television.”

Ms Dineage said her committee would write to Channel 4 and the BBC asking them to set out the investigation process. “But we do not rule out inviting them to give evidence to the select committee if we feel that we are not getting a satisfactory answer.”

Downing Street described the allegations against Russell Brand as “concerning” and said there was no room for “harassment”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “These allegations are very serious and concerning.

“The Met Police have asked anyone who believes they may have been the victim of a sexual assault to come forward to speak to officers.

“As the Foreign Secretary said this weekend, people should feel able to raise concerns where they have them and know that they will be treated seriously and sensitively.

“The Prime Minister has made it clear that there should never be room for harassment, wherever it occurs. »

Maria Miller, a former Conservative culture secretary, said the BBC and Channel 4 must reveal whether non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were used for Russell Brand while he worked on programmes.

“There remain questions about whether nondisclosure agreements were used to cover up allegations of illegal wrongdoing,” she said. The independent.

Ms Miller said it was “troubling” that the entertainment industry continued to refer to NDAs and settlement agreements as “industry standards” in contracts dealing with wrongdoing – calling for a change of the law to prevent any “concealment”.

“There must be a legal ban on any attempt to cover up sexual misconduct in the workplace, which would mean that perpetrators of this type of sexual assault, and worse, could not continue to pose a danger to those with whom they work. »

Brand, 48, has vehemently denied the allegations against him and claims all of his relationships were consensual. He is accused of sexually assaulting four women between 2006 and 2013. Others have accused Brand of predatory and abusive behavior.

Publisher Bluebird has now announced that it has suspended all future publications with Brand. The actor was also dropped by his agent, Tavistock Wood, following an investigation by The temperature And Sunday, and Channel 4 Dispatches.

Russell Brand’s father, Ronald Brand, has spoken out about allegations of rape and sexual assault against his son by a series of women over the weekend.

The brand received huge exposure in The temperature newspaper and Channel 4 Dispatches documentary which claimed the comedian and actor had a history of sexual assault with women from the age of sixteen, all claims the 48-year-old has strongly denied.

When asked what she would expect from the BBC, Alice said she would like to know why nothing was done at the time of their relationship in 2006.

“He had a habit of doing inappropriate things on air, he had inappropriate conversations.”

Alice says she doesn’t think Brand is held to the same standards as other BBC news presenters or readers.

“Exceptions and tolerances were made for him and we must ask ourselves why,” she added.

The BBC said it was “urgently examining the issues raised” by the allegations.