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

[Channel4er]

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.

Just wow to the naive posters on here, who think it’s ok to just name and discuss people without any consequences. Apart from a nasty accusation, it’s v.off topic too. @Mtlso

Umm, no. The allegations are for rape and sexual assault. Did you watch the documentary???

Sorry you have had so much negativity OP, I feel like important points are being missed here and the culture of TV workplaces plays a big part in this and should be held accountable for some of the blame.

Obviously the allegations against RB are horrible and need full investigation, but it's clear that it goes much much deeper than that with people's experiences of what the culture is like, it seems SA is a regular occurrence in these workplaces.

There's a lot of people saying that many women do not report these types of crimes, but what if every person that had been SA or witnessed SA in one of these workplaces such as channel 4/BBC reported their experiences to the police? Surely they would be so inundated with reports they would have to investigate and monitor these institutions?

If the allogations are true for RB then of course he holds the blame .. however .. the culture that has been described must have played a part, he clearly had problems/addictions at the time and instead of them trying to stop this behaviour or offer support for his issues they enabled it/encouraged it/turned a blind eye. Not at all making excuses for him here but I don't think it's as black and white as it seems.

Maybe the unknown offenders at these institutions need as much attention that RB is getting to make some real progress for the many victims of the many offenders out there?

Frivolous womanising celeb or dangerous predator?

Are they mutually exclusive?

I think you can be prolific sexually, I.e. promiscuous without beign a predator or mistreating women/men. He was widely know. To be predatory and openly admits mistreating women. So many of the things he was said and done on record have been vile.

I read on here years ago that he was a sex pest so based on that I 'knew'

I heard that when it was broadcast. Ross was such a lascivious twat. Trying to be edgy and cool, despite his age. He has daughters. BBC sacked him. ITV immediately gave him a chat show. Bleeargh.

Spot on

. It’s what he did - In plain sight. Now he thinks he the new messiah- same unpleasant self serving person with a different mantra - it was sex and now it’s global corruption .

The whole point of the Brand was straightforward sexuality. Nobody went to his programme, let alone his house, for tea and cucumber sandwiches. There was another programme and an off switch if you didn't like it.
The ever changing fashions of sexuality, liberation, diversity, etc will be history in another ten years, and either the press will be whipping up a storm about freedom of speech, tolerance, love etc, or perhaps it will be virgin marriage and homophobia. Of course the culture was different from today's, but did you really mind it at the time? You would have been offended if somebody DIDN'T make a pass at you.

We can only morally judge by the law at the time. If he was behaving criminally the ProdCo was also responsible (but not necessarily Channel4). Seducing a sixteen year old is not and was not criminal, often not even immoral, but rape is a different matter.

The whole thing is a mere Press and PR storm in a teacup. Prosecute, or be damned! Let's move along, please!

@Jezzabear The most serious allegations were not acceptable at the time OR now.

The promiscuous behaviour/attitudes towards women at the time - it made me uncomfortable. The fact that we are progressing as a society and - in hindsight - calling out that behaviour as misogynistic, harmful and unacceptable today, and saying ‘why on earth did we think it was ok’ - can only be a good thing.

There was another programme and an off switch if you didn't like it.

Oh dear, Jez, did you think the problem is a TV programme?

And should we be taking advice on moving with the times from someone who's still calling himself Jez?

I quite liked RB on BBBM. I was mid 30s at the time. Thought he was quirky, edgy; I guess the overhanging 90s culture Chris Evans, FHM, Jordan/Jodie Marsh, Zoe Ball's ladette culture was the back drop - his, what was then called outrageous comedy, now being called misogyny, wasn't shocking late night on the edgy channel. I used to listen to him on radio 2 and I remember the night he rang Andrew Sachs - egged on by Jonathan Ross, it was not funny. It was sick.
But the BBC put it on . It wasn't live. He eventually got let go of from Radio 2 for that. But the BBC weren't the great moralisers, they broadcast it.
I did wonder why Katy Perry could marry him a man who had confessed to shagging a Henry hoover but I knew a chap who had stuck it in a defrosting turkey when he got home from the pub so nothing really surprises you.
But when ahead of the dispatches programme it was bandied about saying an A list celebrity is going to come crashing down you expect it to be someone who has been a bit more squeaky clean. I thought Russell Brand what is the agenda here then. Is there anything we don't know about his behaviour. As they said all in plain sight.
I mean this is a man who starred in St Trinian's and now we are supposed to be outraged that he slept with 16 year olds. Join the bloody dots. I blame the media who let him behave to the extent he did and I am one of those people who think this is pure trial by media and why now?
Why didn't dispatches support these women they have made a TV programme about and take them to the police. As far as I'm concerned their exposé has also taken advantage of these women.
I mean 9pm Saturday night and it was Russell Brand they were really trying to bring him down I was expecting something shocking more like the Hew Edwards scandal.

Anyone could say this ! This smacks of narcissism , “look at me , I’m
important .” A bit like him really .

You are wrong but that’s part of the issue surrounding this - everyone has differing opinions on this and nobody knows the facts . I do tho k manipulative man like him stops being manipulative - obvious by his video channels . He’s an opportunist. But I she hasn’t broken the law then there’s no case against him . Don’t elieve young women are not mesmerised by him but not all expect to be abused .. he was a sex addict driven to extremes and that’s not someone in control and his personality hasn’t really changed .

Oh ffs. Even if you do think it's objectionable that OP started the thread (and I don't), it's not in any way comparable to him.

But he has broken the law. He’s a rapist.

Yes If he has done this.. he’s not been charged with anything yet and may not be - we don’t know whats going on legally . .Rape is the only legal issue and we know how hard it is to prove .. so many years on ? There may or may not be a case to bring but everything else is legal but what it does is highlight his crazed sexuality with no regard and with no remorse . .his opportunist personality that still exists .. all disguised by the funny comedic presentation . not a nice man by any means
trust me I am not a fan of him and I do believe these women but there is a much bigger agenda to all this. Though not sure what it is . It suits his narrative to be pilloried that’s for sure .

For goodness sake!
we all know make stars are protected after the whole Jimmy Saville fiasco (can’t think of better word).. it’s not news that these men abuse their power, nor is it news that when women come forward people victim blame, we are still such a sexist blame culture and some of the discussions on MN have been disgusting! The ‘oh he’s just a sex addict’ … boys will be boys type attitudes… and the ‘oh the girls must’ve wanted to sleep with him because he’s a star’ type comments 🤮 !!
If you know something about RB go to the police with your info, don’t come on here and effectively gossip

“Male stars”

what he says about Covid/calling Ukraine a Nazi country/whatever else is so unique and dangerous they’ve had to shut him up’

Ye. Its like how they are trying to shut up Putin for innocently trying to invade a foreign country. He's been declaring Ukraine a Nazi country too. Just these two purveyors of the truth fighting for their voices to he heard. The International Criminal Court is in on that one, too.

I find there are numerous replies re the Courts are the only deciders of injustice. But this is high level investigation from reputable news sources. At the time the abuse happened these women felt isolated and alone and of course that they would not be believed. Look at Weinstein and Saville and understand that it takes a community to bring down a powerful man hiding in plain sight. Also look at uk rape convictions. Seriously. Women standing together are a more powerful force than our rapey police or useless criminal protection system.

What's the point of any documentary investigation? Why doesn't everything dodgy get reported to the police and then ignored?

Why do we have 'rogue traders' on tv? Why is that ok, and not this?

Good question! Why don’t we say ‘piss off Fred, the old dear who let dodgy blokes in to tarmac his drive, you went to the media instead of solely the police so we’re not listening to you, and anyway your story doesn’t add up and you were asking for it by opening the door in the first place’.

Hmm I wonder.