News | UK An investigation into allegations against Russell Brand has found that informally raised concerns about the comedian and actor’s behaviour while he worked on several Channel 4 programmes were “not properly escalated or adequately addressed”. The 49-year-old was accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse as part of a joint investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme, The Times and Sunday Times last year. Brand has strongly denied all accusations about his behaviour which allegedly took place at the height of his fame between 2006 and 2013.
Following the allegations, a probe was launched by Banijay UK, which bought Endemol, the company commissioned by Channel 4 to produce Big Brother spin-off shows EFourum, Big Brother’s Big Mouth, Kings Of Comedy and Big Brother’s Celebrity Hijack, which Brand worked on between 2004 to 2006 and in 2008. In the journalistic investigation published last September, a researcher claimed concerns about Brand’s behaviour were reported to production managers at Endemol but were dismissed. Findings released by Karen Baxter, the head of investigations at law firm Lewis Silkin LLP who were appointed to the case, said: “No formal complaints were made about Brand during the programmes.
“There were, however, concerns regarding Brand’s behaviour which were raised informally with senior members of staff, particularly in relation to him asking runners to obtain phone numbers of audience members and female crew members fee.
