British Comedy Producer Who “Laughed” During Russell Brand Assault Dropped From BBC & Apple Shows

A prominent British TV producer who was said to have “laughed” after Russell Brand demanded a massage from a woman he has now been found guilty of sexually assaulting has been stood down from his day job and temporarily dropped from projects.

Jack Bayles, who is head of comedy at I May Destroy You producer Various Artists Limited, has been asked to “step back,” according to a spokesman for the company. We understand he has temporarily been dropped from shows including James Corden and Ruth Jones’ new Apple TV series The Choir, the third season of the BBC’s Such Brave Girls and another new BBC show, Push.

Bayles told Deadline he is “appalled and sickened by Brand’s actions” but couldn’t recall the incident. He said he stopped working with Brand in 2010, has not had contact with him since and complaints about Brand’s behavior were never made to him at the time.

A spokesman for Various Artists said: “We have asked Jack Bayles to step back from the company whilst we consider the verdict and events surrounding the trial. Our thoughts, though, are primarily with every one of Brand’s victims at this time.”

Various Artists is run by prominent figures from British TV including Succession showrunner Jesse Armstrong. It is best known for producing I May Destroy You, Michaela Coel’s hit series about a young writer who seeks to rebuild her life after being raped.

Brand was found guilty yesterday of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault after a four-week-long trial at Southwark Crown Court in London. He was found not guilty on two other counts of rape and one of attempted indecent assault, which was reduced from indecent assault during the trial.

One of those counts of sexual assault was against a woman who was working for Channel 4 at the time.

The woman, who has a lifelong right to anonymity, told the court during the trial that in 2009 Brand’s two associates, Bayles and another producer, told her to give him a massage. She said they watched while she gave him a massage without intervening and subsequently “laughed” when she said to Brand, “Urgh, you’re so bony.” Brand then made a series of offensive comments to her, she said.

The woman said she complained to Channel 4 about Brand’s behavior at the time and was assured the matter had been escalated. There is no suggestion she complained about Bayles at the time. Bayles did not give evidence during the trial.

In the late-noughties, Bayles was working with Brand on several projects. He went on to be a comedy commissioning editor for Channel 4 before joining Various Artists in 2022. His credits include Sharon Horgan’s Catastrophe and Lisa McGee’s Derry Girls. He won a BAFTA for Such Brave Girls.

Bayles: Brand “manipulated the people around him”

In a statement, Bayles told Deadline: “Firstly, I want to say to all the women involved in the case, that they have shown incredible dignity and bravery in coming forward to share their experiences.

“I am appalled and sickened by Brand’s actions and have cooperated fully and voluntarily with the investigation and endeavoured to assist as best I can. However, I do not remember the incident that took place 17 years-ago in 2009. But I acknowledge that I clearly missed something at the time and did not see nor recognise that it caused distress. For that I am sincerely sorry.

“At the time of the offence, I was in the early stages of my career, and it was a frantic, pressured and toxic working environment. Brand was chaotic, dismissive and manipulated the people around him. It was due to that, that I made the decision to stop working with him in 2010 and have not had any contact with him since. During my time working with Brand no complaints were made to me about his behaviour, and I am unaware if any were raised to anyone else more senior to me.

“I would never willingly or proactively wish to make anyone feel uncomfortable, unsafe or unsupported at work. If I was ever present when Brand acted inappropriately and I failed to spot it and step in, then I sincerely apologise.”