The BBC has apologized to an employee who alleged that comedian and former broadcaster Russell Brand exposed himself to her in a bathroom in 2008. The incident was not reported until 2019, when a staff member encouraged the woman to come forward.
An internal investigation, led by director of editorial complaints and reviews Peter Johnston, found that Brand had allegedly engaged in various forms of misconduct, including exposing himself on BBC premises and making inappropriate comments to competition winners. Johnston said that some employees felt unable to speak out against Brand’s behavior due to their fear of not being listened to or because they believed he had the support of management.
The investigation interviewed 39 individuals, but Brand declined to participate. The report concluded that while there were eight complaints of misconduct made about Brand, only two were related to his time at the BBC.
Johnston also expressed concern over how some employees felt and apologized on behalf of the BBC for their experience. He stated that the organization’s handling of her complaint in 2019 was “inadequate.”
The investigation is ongoing, with the Metropolitan police also being informed about the report. The BBC has acknowledged Brand’s denial of all public allegations against him.
Brand has faced multiple sexual misconduct allegations recently, including a recent questioning by London police over non-recent offenses.
Source: https://people.com/bbc-apologizes-after-russell-brand-investigation-finds-allegations-joked-about-8783194