Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon has commended the “extraordinary journalism” of the Dispatched team over the weekend’s shocking revelations of multiple sexual misconduct claims against former Big Brother’s Big Mouth presenter Russell Brand.
In an email sent to all staff, and published in part on Twitter by C4 head of news and current affairs Louisa Compton, Mahon also praised the broadcaster for having “reported on itself without fear and ignited a national conversation”:
Mahon also urged any staff with concerns about inappropriate behaviour to speak to a manager, or use the broadcaster’s confidential Speak Up service, adding that Channel 4 takes such allegations “very seriously.”
Whether such allegations have always been taken very seriously is currently up for debate however. The Dispatches revelations span from 2006 to 2013, and the Times, which collaborated with the Dispatches team on the investigation, reports that “several” more women have come forward since the programme aired. The paper added that the new allegations have not yet been investigated and “will now be rigorously checked.”
Thomas Beale, partner specialising in bullying and harassment claims at Bolt Burdon Kemp, said that if Channel 4 and the BBC, which also employed Brand during the period the allegations relate to, were aware of the complaints at the time there could be serious repercussions, potentially including civil claims for negligence:
“If the BBC and Channel 4 were aware of the allegations made against Brand, and failed to take action to protect their employees, they could face civil claims in negligence for Brand’s alleged conduct and the psychiatric injuries that he has caused to those individuals,” he said.
“In addition, if Brand’s behaviour amounts to harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, then his former employers could also face civil claims under the Act. Entertainment platforms such as the BBC and Channel 4 appear to have allowed for Brand’s behaviour to go unnoticed. If investigations conclude that the news channels were aware of the complaints made against Brand, they could face serious repercussions.
“The accusations against Brand point to underlying power issues in the entertainment industry. The liability of the BBC and Channel 4 remains to be seen, as both internal and external investigations are taking place to corroborate the reports of misconduct.”
Brand, 48, vehemently denies the allegations. and claimed in a video posted online on Friday night that all of his relationships have been “consensual”.
