Alesha Dixon & Amanda Holden

[Whattodoonarainysaturday]

Do you think they were aware of what was going on?
Have they made any statements

How on earth would we know what they knew? Pointless speculation.

I know enough people who work in the Industry to say “they all knew” - just like they all knew about Scofield (despite his co-stars denials)

I have no idea they just worked with him and might be protective of their jobs,.why hasn't Simon Cowell said anything he and his company employed him for years.

I wondered that.

I speak generally here, not about these individuals specifically.

I'm sure a lot of people know about predators and inappropriate behaviours and the whole culture of the entertainment industry.

These things are always and have always been widely known.

People keep their mouths shut out of fear for a) their own careers and/or b) being victims themselves. I believe a larger number of women and children than men in the entertainment industry have their own stories of abuse and exploitation that it is probably too painful to talk about.

it is my opinion that wider silence from those in the industry is because being on the telly/in the films / in the charts etc matters more than standing up against sexual abuse and those that don't know, don't want to know.

It's a discussion...opinions

Yes, can't see how they wouldn't...
As a woman with a Dd, I just couldn't let that slide by

Yes I think you're right.

I just honestly could not sit there watching him specifically bringing young girls/children to sit near him & to his dressing room

I'm not surprised no-one has said anything, what can they say? But really "we" all knew. He's been hiding in plain sight for years, with "jokes" circulating about his liking for 15yo girls for a really long time.

They're probably just worried about they're reputation-jobs-careers...and only that

Even if that would be the end of your career? If you could convince yourself the women/girls/families knew what they were getting into ? I mean, why would you let your 15yo go to meet David Walliams? <Rhetorical question>

I think a much bigger question is whether his bosses knew because they're ones who actually had some power to do something.
Possibly also the really big stars, like Jonathan Ross at the time, who could probably have spoken out without doing himself harm.

Even if they did it’s not on them.
I once worked with a guy who was arrested at work for rape, it was no further actioned so he returned to work.
Another work colleague who has now moved to another branch I know 100% punched his girlfriend in the face and killed her pet budgie. She doesn’t want to report him. I hate them both but what can I do, I have to work with these pieces of crap, wish I didn’t.

Surely they would have seen him with young people going into his dressing? Ant and Dec too. Were they not concerned about them and the performers especially the younger ones who might not feel able to say anything

But our opinions are groundless unless we know Holden and Dixon. Do you?

And what are you asking if they knew?

That he had much younger girlfriends?

Or that he groomed a 15 y.o. and kissed her breast?

Of course, but why wouldn't they be? Their jobs are important to them in the same way anyone else's are. Would you really speak up if you were likely to never work in your industry again?

Yes Ant and Dec too.

I'd feel really really shit if I knew young girls were getting groomed and sexually abused and I did nothing to help them, all for a career. I don't thnk I could sleep at night
Is there no way anonymous complaints could have been made. I just don't understand how it went on for so long.
I mean, how could you even sit and laugh along with someone who was doing that, let alone be friends with them, it's incredulous

This is exactly what I can't get my head around?!

They probably did. Probably like many of us who come across Brands and Walliams in everyday life, they likely felt speaking out was pointless because the behaviour was so normalised. The only thing (that I've heard anyway) that really crossed the line to something that could be concrete to report and hopefully be taken seriously was the 15 year old.

Would you keep quiet if you knew underage girls, young, innocent, vulnerable girls were being groomed and sexually abused-for the sake of your career?
This world is truly messed up

Those girls or your family? Honestly which would you choose?

I think it's entirely possible they knew his behaviour was a off/weird and he gave too much attention to teenage girls, without "knowing" he was grooming or sexually assaulting them, because why would you think that of anyone? You'd risk your livelihood because you had a bad feeling, and for something the bosses had seen as much as you had?

Ideally, as in school, the system would be such that all and every concern is reported and recorded without any impact for the reporter, but we know that industry isn't like that. Neither were schools a couple of decades ago, so hopefully that's about to change.

Buy they won't have "known". They might have thought his behaviour was inappropriate but they won't have (wanted to?) believed he was assaulting them. Afaik none of these assaults happened in public?

'Just worried'?

Well yes, I would have thought they'd be very worried.

Especially knowing that speaking up could finish their career, whilst the men continued to do exactly as they pleased.

You make it sound as though you think these women are to blame?

Better shut down mumsnet on those grounds

Those are the 2 that sicken me, they are at the top of their business - who on earth would have bought them down if they had the guts/morality to actually speak out?

No-one.

Yet we have never heard that they said anything or protected any young women. But it appears that they preferred to turn a blind eye.