The former employers of Russell Brand have launched an "urgent internal investigation" over the sex allegations made against him.
The former employers of Russell Brand have launched an urgent investigation into his alleged sex crimes
The 48-year-old comedian has been accused of raping, sexually assaulting and emotionally abusing four women at the height of his career in a bombshell expose from The Times, Sunday Times and Channel4's 'Dispatches' programme and now Endemol - the company behind 'Big Brother' and the 'Big Brother's Big Mouth' spin-off show which Brand presented - is now investigating the "very serious" allegations made against their former employee.
A statement from Banijay UK, which bought Endemol in 2020, said: "In light of the very serious allegations raised by 'Dispatches' and The Times/Sunday Times investigation relating to the alleged serious misconduct of Russell Brand while presenting shows produced by Endemol in 2004 and 2005, Banijay UK has launched an urgent internal investigation and will co-operate with any requests for information from broadcast partners and external agencies."
The production company also went on to encourage anyone else who feels as if they were "affected" by the comedian's alleged behaviour during that time to come forward and speak out, assuring them that any information can be given "in confidence."
The statement added: 'We also encourage anybody who feels that they were affected by Brand's behaviour while working on these productions to contact us in confidence.'
One woman has alleged Brand raped her in his Los Angeles home, while another accused him of grooming her as they were involved in an allegedly "emotionally abusive and controlling relationship" for three months when she was just 16 and still at school, and he was 31.
A third accuser claimed the comic sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles, and that he threatened to take legal action if she told anyone else about her allegation, and a fourth detailed the alleged sexual, physical and emotional abuse she was subjected to.
Ahead of The Times publishing their report, Brand shared a 2 minute, 45 second video on YouTube and X strongly denying the claims and arguing the allegations were part of a “serious, concerted agenda” to control “spaces” such as his online outlet.
He said: “I’ve received two extremely disturbing letters or a letter and an email. One from a mainstream media TV company, one from a newspaper listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks, as well as some pretty stupid stuff like community festival should be stopped, that I shouldn't be able to attack mainstream media narratives on this channel. But amidst this litany of astonishing rather baroque attacks, often very serious allegations that I absolutely refute."
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