Russell Brand Trial Reveals Worst & Best Of TV Industry That Protected, Then Exposed A Predator

Russell Brand has been convicted of rape and sexual assault after spending the best part of a month on trial. In many ways, the business that propelled Brand to fame and power was also in the dock.

In the first major #MeToo court case for the British television industry, London’s Southwark Crown Court heard from multiple complainants and witnesses about a culture that empowered Brand’s voracious sexual appetite — and did little to stop him crossing boundaries of consent.

As his former assistant put it in court: “I have worked with celebrities before and have seen a lot of people normalizing bad behavior, but this was on another level.”

Four of the six women who made police complaints about Brand worked in the television and radio industry. Three of those four convinced a jury that they were the survivors of brazen sexual assault when Brand was at the peak of his powers.

Brand was convicted of grabbing the breasts of an ex-MTV employee at an industry party in 2004. He was found guilty of pushing a woman against a wall and molesting her at the offices of a major radio company in 2004 or 2005. Brand was also convicted of burying his head in the genitals of a former Channel 4 employee during the recording of a DVD in 2009.

In each case, the consequences for Brand were not obvious, despite the women raising concerns about his behaviour shortly after they were assaulted.

The ex-MTV employee was introduced to Brand by a well-known TV producer who was hosting the party at London’s Nordic Bar. In Brand’s words, he was told by the producer, “There’s a bird here who wants to meet you.” Within minutes, Brand had sexually assaulted her. It’s no wonder the prosecution argued that Brand treated women in the industry as a “disposable commodity.”

The ex-MTV employee raised concerns with the producer after the party and the court heard how he confronted Brand’s associates and told them the behavior was “not acceptable.” It was not enough to stall Brand’s rising star. Asked by Brand’s defense why she didn’t initially report the allegation to the police, the woman said she feared being “seen as trouble” and “the media industry protects its own.”

The former Channel 4 employee was sexually assaulted in front of two producers, one of whom continues to work on prominent British shows. In evidence, she said the producers shrugged as Brand demanded a massage and put his head between her legs, before laughing. She reported the incident to her Channel 4 line manager at the time, but it’s taken 17 years for her complaint to be fully heard.

In a statement after Brand’s conviction, a Channel 4 spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are first and foremost with the six women involved in the case against Russell Brand, including those affected by the crimes for which he has been convicted. We recognise the profound impact of these crimes and commend the extraordinary courage of all those who gave evidence as prosecution witnesses at trial.”

Documentary Brings Brand To Justice

While Channel 4 did not do enough to protect its former employee in 2009, the British broadcaster can legitimately claim credit for eventually bringing Brand to justice. The network partnered with The Times and The Sunday Times on an investigation into Brand’s conduct, resulting in the 2023 documentary Russell Brand: In Plain Sight.

The film was referenced repeatedly during the Southwark Crown Court trial. It did not feature any of the women at the heart of criminal proceedings but was the catalyst for their police complaints. It was the reason why, as the prosecution explained, the women “realized they are not alone and have bravely come before you to tell the truth.”

Louisa Compton, Channel 4’s director of news, digital and audience trust, put it like this: “The outcome of the Russell Brand trial belongs to all of the women who had the courage to speak out … The trial heard that women involved in the criminal case came forward after seeing the Channel 4 Dispatches film. It is a powerful demonstration of why fearless, independent, investigative journalism in the public interest matters.”

Russell Brand may have been on trial, but the court proceedings revealed the worst and best of the British TV industry.