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

363 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.

OP posts:
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11
bloodyfootprint · 17/09/2023 23:10

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?

All of this. If you can't offer actual evidence or help to the victims, perhaps you should keep your attention seeking jollies to yourself.

The victims aren't your stepping stones.

Dillane · 17/09/2023 23:10

Upsizer · 17/09/2023 22:29

I worked in advertising at around the same time and sexual assault/drugs/coercion were part of the culture. If you spoke up, it would have been weird. What would you want to happen? Yes the powerful men can do whatever they want with women. We were all complicit. I would imagine that 80% of the senior men in the industry behaved this way.

Does this resonate with entertainment at the time? I imagine it was very similar.

(the 30 yo and 16 yo issue makes me smile: when Chris evans did exactly this, we all thought it was romantic.)

Makes you ‘smile’ seriously? 🙄

weathervane1 · 17/09/2023 23:16

I'm thinking that this should come under the heading of subjudice, if only to protect MN from interfering with the process of law. It seems a little too close to insider knowledge to me and could inadvertently prejudice any future hearing.

Ejismyf · 17/09/2023 23:25

weathervane1 · 17/09/2023 23:16

I'm thinking that this should come under the heading of subjudice, if only to protect MN from interfering with the process of law. It seems a little too close to insider knowledge to me and could inadvertently prejudice any future hearing.

You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Someone discussing the culture at Channel 4 at the time, is nothing to do with any legal case that may or may not be brought against Brand. Pretty sure the Dispatches programme and multiple news articles will of done more damage to any process of law.

Scepticalwotsits · 17/09/2023 23:26

I believe although maybe wrong, they either just rotated the clock as it’s easier then rewinding, or that it’s filmed and then flipped in post to save time

Someoneonlyyouknow · 17/09/2023 23:35

Do you know anybody who ever 'did the right thing' while you were working there? Someone reporting or stopping abuse, an abuser being penalised? It all sounds depressing and disgusting and horrendous that this was happening in the 21st century

MelroseGrainger · 17/09/2023 23:40

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.

This is nothing but a blatant attempt to put yourself front and centre of a situation which has nothing to do with you. If you have insight, then just share it.

But since you are neither the commissioning editors who kept giving him jobs, nor the production staff of the production company who witnessed the daily filming, then you are merely like everyone else. On the outside and speculating.

“I worked at Channel 4” could mean anything from cleaning staff to head of the channel. And since Channel 4 are the broadcaster and not the production company who worked direct with Brand, then it makes no difference anyway.

This is really naff and tasteless of you.

EggInANest · 17/09/2023 23:52

How easy would it have been for Despatches to have been commissioned by C4 to investigate and make a programme that was bound to shine a light on C4 at some point?

Soapyspuds · 17/09/2023 23:58

Do you prefer Cheddar or Edam?

goldenrachita · 18/09/2023 00:10

Were you surprised that Channel 4 were clearly unable to find any incriminating footage for their big expose show? I assumed cameras would be rolling all the time. All the footage from the show was stuff we had already seen on air, and basically comedic performance.

goldenrachita · 18/09/2023 00:14

Also wondering if you have been impressed to see Brand move from being a frivolous womanising celeb to being one of the most important voices we have in exposing the stupidity of lockdown, the inhumane closing of schools, the sinister and authoritarian drive to control what people put in their bodies...etc. Whatever you think of his behaviour back then, does this do anything to make you think he's now thinking beyond himself to the greater good despite a pretty egotistical past?

Dropthedonkey · 18/09/2023 00:24

goldenrachita · 18/09/2023 00:14

Also wondering if you have been impressed to see Brand move from being a frivolous womanising celeb to being one of the most important voices we have in exposing the stupidity of lockdown, the inhumane closing of schools, the sinister and authoritarian drive to control what people put in their bodies...etc. Whatever you think of his behaviour back then, does this do anything to make you think he's now thinking beyond himself to the greater good despite a pretty egotistical past?

You must be fucking joking

AtTyeTim · 18/09/2023 00:25

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Previously banned troll.

MeinKraft · 18/09/2023 00:27

How did channel 4 end up showcasing so many of the comedians who were really shocking at the time (and even more so now I think!) looking back I can't believe some of the jokes Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle came out with on their stand up shows were ever aired on TV. Was it just part of channel 4 wanting to push boundaries? Did anyone at channel 4 question whether that was a good thing to do?

AtTyeTim · 18/09/2023 00:28

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Previously banned troll.

YokoOnosBigHat · 18/09/2023 00:49

* - shrugs in style of Partridge-*

I worked at Channel 4 during the Russell Brand era. Ask me anything
sodthesodoff · 18/09/2023 00:53

goldenrachita · 18/09/2023 00:10

Were you surprised that Channel 4 were clearly unable to find any incriminating footage for their big expose show? I assumed cameras would be rolling all the time. All the footage from the show was stuff we had already seen on air, and basically comedic performance.

You know it's not the same production company who made this as made those programmes? They only have access to what was transmitted

And you really think there were cameras rolling behind the scenes in dressing rooms etc? You assumed wrong.

sodthesodoff · 18/09/2023 00:57

goldenrachita · 18/09/2023 00:14

Also wondering if you have been impressed to see Brand move from being a frivolous womanising celeb to being one of the most important voices we have in exposing the stupidity of lockdown, the inhumane closing of schools, the sinister and authoritarian drive to control what people put in their bodies...etc. Whatever you think of his behaviour back then, does this do anything to make you think he's now thinking beyond himself to the greater good despite a pretty egotistical past?

Uh no

Being a rapist and sex offender isn't miraculously made better by anything else he does. He could be the next messiah but he'd still be a rapist.

Weird.

Scamperdowntherabbithole · 18/09/2023 01:14

Russell Brand has made himself a target by repeatedly exposing government corruption. He has a past, and he has spoken about it, but he has completely turned around his life. Obviously that didn't absolve him off crimes he might have committed in the past, but for me it certainly raises questions, like why is it only now that this has been brought up? Why not during the #metoo movement? I'm not saying he's innocent, but I think the timing, along with his condemnation of government and his massive following, leads me to equally suspect it could be a good old fashioned witch-hunt.

PlantPotPaintPot · 18/09/2023 01:32

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PlantPotPaintPot · 18/09/2023 01:36

@MelroseGrainger

Exactly.

I see if every single time there’s a “scandal”.

People throwing themselves into the main focus to try and divert some of the attention back onto themselves.

“Oh I was so and so’s bin man 19 years ago and once when emptying his bin I saw a condom wrapper, he’s everything they say he is”

It’s absolutely desperate the lengths some people will go to just so they can have their “look at me!” moment.

NCGrandParent · 18/09/2023 02:28

@Upsizer the 30 yo and 16 yo issue makes me smile: when Chris evans did exactly this, we all thought it was romantic.

I'm not aware of stories of CE forcing his penis down a 16 year old's throat until she gagged and cried. Never mind the general public cooking over the romance of it.... fucks sake

Tighginn · 18/09/2023 03:39

Evening Davina.

WhalePolo · 18/09/2023 03:56

@goldenrachita

Er no. It makes me think that’s he’s using a platform to make unfounded accusations about scientists that could cause others to make harmful choices. It makes me think he’s an unqualified narcissist making his own YouTube profits whilst - at the same time - complaining about others making profit for nefarious reasons. It makes me think that if he can have his “free speech” platform that every woman he has potentially abused has every right to have their free speech platform too.

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