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‘What led to this broadcast?’, CEO Tim Davie of Russell Brand’s old BBC shows asked today, as he set out the scope of Brand’s review , who is expected to report in “weeks, not months.”
Responding to the allegations during a question-and-answer session with all staff this afternoon, Davie said Peter Johnston, director of editorial complaints and criticism, will oversee the report.
“We will look into all complaints made regarding Russell Brand’s conduct during his tenure, what was known at the time, what was done – with full transparency, we dig into everything we have,” he said. -he adds. “I hope for a first report in a few weeks, not a few months. So it’s not something we want to take too long [over]but we want to get to the facts.
Brand presented shows on BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 2 between 2006 and 2008 before being sacked after a prank. Fawlty Towers Starring Andrew Sachs. At the time, Davie headed the company’s radio coverage.
Over the weekend, Brand was accused by four women of allegations ranging from rape to sexual assault and by the BBC, Channel 4 and Big brother Producer Banijay is investigating them all, while shows featuring Brand have been removed from BBC and Channel 4 VoD players. Brand vehemently denies the allegations and has said all of his relationships were consensual. He has made no comment since posting a video on his social media in which he preemptively denied the “litany” of allegations about his criminal behavior.
One of the women who spoke to The temperature and Channel 4 alleges a BBC-arranged car took her from school to the star’s home when she was 16 and Davie said today the review “will examine the position regarding all cars used by the BBC at that time – because that was obviously something that, again, in powerful testimony, was mentioned.
“What led to this being broadcast?” »
Davie said he re-listened to the broadcasts from Brand’s time working on BBC shows and found them “completely unacceptable”, wondering: “What led to what will this be broadcast?
“I look at all this and I say I can’t listen to this, I can’t accept it,” he added. “We need to be clear on this together, that we will not accept this.”
He said the BBC had updated its processes in recent years and urged staff to come to him if they had problems.
“These are very serious allegations,” he added. “And if you look at this [Channel 4] Dispatches program, as many people have, you can’t help but be moved by this incredible and powerful testimony.
The brand review is one of several carried out into the behavior of presenters who have worked for the BBC. A similar report into historic allegations against DJ Tim Westwood is due to be published soon, along with two criticisms of newsreader Huw Edwards, who allegedly paid a young person for indecent images.
