BBC Apologizes to Staff After Russell Brand Investigation Finds Allegations Were 'Joked About'

BBC apologized to its employees after an internal investigation into Russell Brand's alleged behavior while he worked for the broadcaster between November 2006 and October 2008.

On Jan. 30, the BBC published the findings of an investigation conducted by its director of editorial complaints and reviews Peter Johnston. The report found a woman referred to as Olivia alleged Brand exposed himself to her in a bathroom in June 2008 and she chose not to pursue a complaint about the incident until 2019, when a BBC News staff member encouraged her to come forward.

Brand, now 49, has said as recently as September 2023 that he "absolutely refutes" all allegations against him.

"I have not found any evidence of anyone in BBC management being aware of Olivia's experience with Russell Brand until it was escalated in 2019," Johnston wrote in his report. "I have, however, been told that the incident was fairly common knowledge in the L.A. Bureau of the BBC at the time and over subsequent years. I have heard it was often 'joked about,' which is unacceptable for something so serious."

The investigation noted that the woman in question was not a BBC employee but worked in the same building as the BBC's L.A. bureau. Johnston wrote in the report that he personally apologized to the woman "on behalf of the BBC" and found the organization's handling of her complaint in 2019 "inadequate."

“The review considered eight complaints of misconduct about Russell Brand, only two of which were made while he was engaged by the BBC, one formally and one informally," the BBC's statement regarding the report read in part.

"It is of great concern that some of these individuals felt unable to raise concerns about Russell Brand’s behavior at the time, and the BBC has apologized to them as part of this review."

Related: Lily Allen Slams 'Horrendous' Rape Joke Made About Her by Russell Brand

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As part of the investigation, Johnston and his team interviewed 39 individuals. Brand declined to participate in the investigation.

The report noted that "allegations of general inappropriate behavior by" Brand included "sex in [bathrooms]/on BBC premises; exposure in the studio; and inappropriate engagement with competition winners," which have been reported on, and "mentioned in Russell Brand's own autobiography."

"What is clear is that many BBC staff and freelancers, especially in more junior roles, found Russell Brand demanding and difficult to work with and his behavior extreme, but all felt that there was no point in complaining as they believed they would not be listened to and, rightly or wrongly, that Russell Brand as a high-profile presenter had the support of the station management," Johnston wrote in the report.

“As has been reported, there is an ongoing police investigation into Russell Brand. The BBC has been in contact with the Metropolitan police throughout the review and they have seen the report," the statement added. "The BBC acknowledges that Russell Brand categorically denies all public allegations made against him.”

Brand has faced a number of sexual misconduct allegations in recent years. In November 2023, he was reportedly questioned by London police in relation "to three non-recent sexual offenses."

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