Russell Brand: BBC Apologizes After Investigation Finds LA Staff “Joked” About Russell Brand Exposing Himself To Woman In Bathroom

deadline.com:

The BBC has apologized to those individuals who felt unable to raise concerns about Russell Brand‘s behavior, as a new report reveals staff in the LA bureau “joked about” an incident in which the comedian is alleged to have followed a woman into a bathroom and shown her his penis. “The review considered eight complaints of misconduct about Russell Brand, only two of which were made while he was engaged by the BBC, one formally and one informally,” said the BBC of the just-released review carried out by Peter Johnston. “It is of great concern that some of these individuals felt unable to raise concerns about Russell Brand’s behaviour at the time, and the BBC has apologised to them as part of this review. ” The 15-page review examines a number of complaints in depth and why they weren’t taken seriously more quickly.

Brand’s alleged behavior was exposed by a Channel 4–Sunday Times expose nearly 18 months ago. The comedian, who worked on BBC and Channel 4 shows, vehemently denies all claims and has said all of his relationships were consensual.

The report homes in on an incident in which a woman it calls “Olivia” alleges Brand followed her into a bathroom and showed her his penis moments before pre-recording a show.

He then agreed on-air with the apparently jokey suggestion, made by another individual on-air with him, that he had exposed himself to a woman 25 minutes earlier.