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AMA

I worked at Channel 4 during the Russell Brand era. Ask me anything

358 replies

Channel4er · 17/09/2023 19:03

I've thought long and hard about whether do do this AMA because people will probably be after salacious titbits which I neither have nor am interested in however there's been a lot of talk about Channel 4's role in the Brand affair and I thought I might be able to shed some light on what the culture at Channel 4 was actually like around that time.

In order to remain anonymous there may be some questions I can't answer. I've name changed but am a long standing MNer.

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itendswithus · 17/09/2023 19:04

So you think he is guilty of what they are saying he did?

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itendswithus · 17/09/2023 19:04

*DO you...

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nottaotter · 17/09/2023 19:05

Sorry to be blunt, but unless you have hard evidence he did what he is accused of, what role has channel 4 got in it?

Channel 4 could be a brilliant fair supportive place where safety and mental health come first, or it could be full of wankers who stop over people to get results, but either way its irrelevant .

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pickledandpuzzled · 17/09/2023 19:05

Did you see a culture of pandering to stars?

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napody · 17/09/2023 19:07

Why don't you just tell us? It's not an AMA as you're setting out a kind of cryptic agenda on which questions you will and won't answer!

Interested in 'what the culture at Channel 4 was actually like around that time.'

So.... what was the culture at Channel 4 actually like around that time?

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Riva5784 · 17/09/2023 19:09

Did you experience any sexual abuse when you were working there?

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Channel4er · 17/09/2023 19:09

pickledandpuzzled · 17/09/2023 19:05

Did you see a culture of pandering to stars?

Yes. Talent have always had immense power in TV. At the start of their careers they need the channel but as soon as their stars rise significantly, the dynamic changes and suddenly they become extremely powerful.

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continentallentil · 17/09/2023 19:13

nottaotter · 17/09/2023 19:05

Sorry to be blunt, but unless you have hard evidence he did what he is accused of, what role has channel 4 got in it?

Channel 4 could be a brilliant fair supportive place where safety and mental health come first, or it could be full of wankers who stop over people to get results, but either way its irrelevant .

Edited

Exactly

Unless the prodco or some whistle blower brought it to the channel and was completely ignored, then I’m guessing some people at the channel knew he was dubious but not the extent of it.

The prodco on the other hand..

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Channel4er · 17/09/2023 19:14

Riva5784 · 17/09/2023 19:09

Did you experience any sexual abuse when you were working there?

It's important to understand that Channel 4 don't actually have studios or make programmes. They commission them through production companies so the hands on management of a show happens at the production company not at Channel 4.

That said whilst I didn't experience any abuse I was definitely on the receiving end of questionable and misogynistic behaviour at times albeit prior to this period.

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Channel4er · 17/09/2023 19:17

Exactly

Unless the prodco or some whistle blower brought it to the channel and was completely ignored, then I’m guessing some people at the channel knew he was dubious but not the extent of it.

The prodco on the other hand..*
*

This is exactly right. People keep talking about Channel 4 because that's the name people know but actually it's the production company who employ the team and who are MUCH closer to what is happening. That said Commissioning Editors keep very close to their productions and absolutely should know what's going on.

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Channel4er · 17/09/2023 19:27

napody · 17/09/2023 19:07

Why don't you just tell us? It's not an AMA as you're setting out a kind of cryptic agenda on which questions you will and won't answer!

Interested in 'what the culture at Channel 4 was actually like around that time.'

So.... what was the culture at Channel 4 actually like around that time?

It was definitely a ratings driven culture and certainly a place where it was widely acknowledged that the talent behaved badly at times. However I fundamentally believe that if anyone suspected that illegal activity was taking place they wouldn't have tolerated it.

The channel had a big shake up around that time with the Shilpa Sherry racism row and there was increased scrutiny around the responsibility of a public service broadcaster.

That said the sad truth is no one would have batted an eye to hear that a star was sleeping with as many women as they could.

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Dadfromthesea · 17/09/2023 19:33

you worked at channel 4? OK then, answer me this… Why does the clock on Countdown have a left hand side?

It won’t be five minutes before the behaviour of an allegedly awful man becomes hijacked so that it’s less about him and more about cherished public institutions like the BBC and Channel 4. You don’t need to help it along. Plus, anecdote doesn’t equal evidence, so anything you have to say on the subject is very limited by the fact that it’s just your experience.

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Spaghettihulahoops · 17/09/2023 19:45

@Channel4er do you mean Shilpa Shetty? You know Sherry is a British sirname?

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Channel4er · 17/09/2023 19:47

Spaghettihulahoops · 17/09/2023 19:45

@Channel4er do you mean Shilpa Shetty? You know Sherry is a British sirname?

Aaaghh. I hate spell check on my phone. Apologies (don't think I can edit from a mobile)

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Lastchancechica · 17/09/2023 19:47

Why do you think no one took any action when Brand offered Saville his assistants naked services? More surprising saying she can do anything he wants - live on air? Why didn’t anyone senior consider this entirely unacceptable?

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LakeTiticaca · 17/09/2023 19:47

It was said in last night's dispatches that complaints were made to channel 4 regarding Brands behaviour but no action was taken.
Just like the Beeb with Savile.....

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Channel4er · 17/09/2023 19:55

Lastchancechica · 17/09/2023 19:47

Why do you think no one took any action when Brand offered Saville his assistants naked services? More surprising saying she can do anything he wants - live on air? Why didn’t anyone senior consider this entirely unacceptable?

Edited

That was at the BBC on his radio show. It's abhorrent. I think in the same ghastly way that Jonathan Ross laughed along during the Andrew Sachs incident, Brand kept pushing and pushing to see how far he could go and quickly realised the answer was very far.

Because he had created this kind of lascivious persona (hiding in plain sight) people expected to be shocked by him and found it funny. They shouldn't have.

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Psychonabike · 17/09/2023 19:56

Umm...

That said the sad truth is no one would have batted an eye to hear that a star was sleeping with as many women as they could.

This is legal though isn't it? And part of the hiding in plain sight, "I'm so promiscuous", "I'm a sex addict" stuff he voluntarily circulated.

Struggling to see the point of the AMA really.

I would think that most sensible people realise that most of the media (along with many other industries) is pretty misogynistic and full of amoral and unethical practice.

The issue now is whether he did anything actually criminal.

Do we really need another Philip Schofield situation with anyone and everyone chipping in with gossip and morality based arguments?

Victims are better served by hard facts, other victims coming forward, witnesses to (and facilitators of) criminal activity coming forward...and achieving justice.

Q: So, are you suggesting you have anything to contribute to that?

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Oddearslongnose · 17/09/2023 20:01

Jonathan Ross didn’t just laugh along though did he, he shouted ‘he fucked your granddaughter’. Essentially with that comment , he laid down the tone of the whole piece, almost more so than Brand . It’s astounding he came back from it really.

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Ohwhatadag · 17/09/2023 20:01

What was your role in channel 4. Admin or production?

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dearanon · 17/09/2023 20:04

I'm not sure how I word what I want to ask you but I'll have a think.

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pickledandpuzzled · 17/09/2023 20:05

"The issue now is whether he did anything actually criminal."

Is it? Or is the issue that we tolerate obnoxious, abusive, predatory behaviour and consider it ok because it's legal?

In many companies there's no need to behave illegally to be censured and drummed out.

Why are we tolerating repulsive behaviour because it's legal? If we stop the repulsive but legal, you'll prevent a hell of a lot of the illegal!

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fairyfluf · 17/09/2023 20:06

Do you think it's got better or could it happen again?

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Channel4er · 17/09/2023 20:07

I put this out there because lots of people on Mumsnet and elsewhere have talked about whether Channel 4 amongst others should be held accountable.

In other situations I've found it helpful to understand more about the culture of an organisation and the way it works before I take a view on where responsibility for something might be lie or at least be shared.

My experience and perspective of working in TV is clearly a personal one (like anyone's lived experience) and I would never suggest that an AMA on Mumsnet was able to help Brand's victims though I thought it might help some people to understand the environment in which he operated.

If I were able to directly help any victims I certainly wouldn't be doing so via Mumsnet.

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sodthesodoff · 17/09/2023 20:08

What kind of role did you have at channel 4?

Who was the commissioning editor at the time?

Why aren't the execs of the programme being called to account.

They knew. Certainly the one I'm thinking about knew as he told me all about it.

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