BBC bosses apologise to staff who felt unable to report Russell Brand's behaviour

BBC bosses person apologised to unit who felt incapable to stroke the whistle implicit Russell Brand's behaviour portion helium worked there.

The broadcaster said 8 complaints of misconduct had been considered - lone 2 of which were made during the presenter's clip there.

It said it was of “great concern” immoderate felt incapable to rise concerns astatine the time, portion besides saying it was "clear" immoderate presenters had been capable to maltreatment their positions successful the past.

Mr Brand, 49, vehemently denies immoderate allegations of impropriety, antecedently saying each his intersexual relationships were "absolutely ever consensual".

The apology came aft an interior reappraisal of the BBC’s handling of complaints, a probe it said had outgo £662,000 and progressive interviews with 39 individuals.

It was carried retired by Peter Johnston and focused connected the comedian's enactment for 6 Music and Radio 2 betwixt 2006 and 2008.

He recovered determination were galore unit who felt "unable to raise" concerns and believed Brand "would ever get his mode and truthful they stayed silent".

Mr Johnston said the "culture of the clip undoubtedly influenced what was acceptable/tolerated" but "the processes for raising concerns were besides not arsenic developed arsenic they are now".

The BBC has since improved these processes since, helium said.

Mr Brand, a father-of-three who was erstwhile joined to American vocalist and TV property Katy Perry, 40, joined the BBC arsenic a regular presenter for 6 Music successful April 2006 and aboriginal Radio 2. He had a regular amusement connected the presumption until helium near successful 2008 implicit a "serious breach" erstwhile helium made a prank telephone to Fawlty Towers histrion Andrew Sachs, who died successful 2016 aged 86.

His hiring was "understood (by those keen to prosecute him) to beryllium a determination which carried editorial risks, fixed the quality of his drama performances and material, but was successful enactment with the strategy of the presumption astatine the time" - which was to pull younger audiences and bring successful presenters with profile, the reappraisal found.

Mr Brand was asked to enactment successful the review, Mr Johnston said, "but did not judge the invitation".

The Essex-born comedian is taxable to an ongoing constabulary probe aft being accused by 4 women of intersexual assaults and maltreatment betwixt 2006 and 2013.

The BBC said it acknowledges “that Russell Brand categorically denies each nationalist allegations made against him”.

In a connection the broadcaster added: "When allegations were raised astir Russell Brand successful 2023, relating to his enactment astatine the BBC, it was important that this was looked into methodically. This enactment has been conducted with the top care.

"We privation to convey the individuals who person participated, arsenic we cognize that it has not been casual to talk retired astir immoderate of the issues the reappraisal addresses.

"The reappraisal considered 8 complaints of misconduct astir Russell Brand, lone 2 of which were made portion helium was engaged by the BBC, 1 formally and 1 informally. It is of large interest that immoderate of these individuals felt incapable to rise concerns astir Russell Brand's behaviour astatine the time, and the BBC has apologised to them arsenic portion of this review.

"It is besides wide that determination were compliance inadequacies connected immoderate of Russell Brand's Radio 2 shows which led to contented being aired that would not beryllium broadcast today. Russell Brand near the BBC successful 2008 pursuing a high-profile editorial breach.

"As has been reported, determination is an ongoing constabulary probe into Russell Brand. The BBC has been successful interaction with the Metropolitan constabulary passim the reappraisal and they person seen the report.”