Culture, Media and Sport Committee Chair writes to broadcasters and TikTok over Russell Brand allegations and investigations
19 September 2023
Dame Caroline Dinenage, Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee has written to the BBC, Channel 4, GBNews and TikTok following the widespread allegations about comedian and actor Russell Brand.
- Letter from the Chair to Dr Theo Bertram, Director of Government Relations, Europe, TikTok, relating to standards of behaviour in media, dated 19 September 2023
- Letter from Alex Mahon, Chief Executive, Channel 4, relating to Russell Brand, dated 18 September 2023
- Letter from the Chair to Tim Davie, Director General, BBC, relating to standards of behaviour in media, dated 19 September 2023
- Culture, Media and Sport Committee writes to The Sun and BBC over Huw Edwards media coverage and investigation
The letter to TikTok’s Director of Government Relations, Dr Theo Bertram, asks for confirmation on whether Mr Brand is still able to monetise his TikTok posts, including those related to the allegations against him, and what procedures are in place to ensure creators cannot undermine the welfare of victims.
Correspondence with Channel 4 Chief Executive, Alex Mahon, requests further details about C4, and the production company Banijay UK’s, investigations into the allegations against Mr Brand, including timescales and asks for regular progress updates.
The letter to BBC Director General, Tim Davie, asks for a timescale of the internal investigations and to keep the Committee updated on its progress.
The letter to Angelos Frangopoulos, Chief Executive Officer of GBNews, requests details about discussions with the broadcasters' presenters on their responsibilities relating to impartiality and professionalism when fronting news coverage, and any further decision-making. The Committee are also seeking information about the broadcaster’s response to allegations against Dan Wootton, following its previous correspondence with the Sun.
Chair's comment
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Chair, Dame Caroline Dinenage, said:
“This weekend we have seen some very serious and disturbing accusations about Russell Brand’s behaviour and we understand that the police are now looking into some of these allegations. As a first step, our committee has decided that we will today write to media outlets, including the BBC and Channel 4, to understand the actions they are taking as we consider some of the issues around these allegations.
The allegations have been widely described by reporters in the press and on social media as an ‘open secret’ and quite often these secrets are shared between friends and colleagues just to keep each other safe. But my concern is when people in power are aware of rumours or stories yet don’t act, then a culture is allowed to permeate.”
Further information
Image: Elspeth Keep/Parliament