World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
ITV executive backed Russell Brand despite complaints about his conduct
An account of Russell Brand’s ties to ITV has emerged as the BBC and Channel 4 face criticism over their past support for him. Sources say ITV executive Alison Sharman backed Brand and continued booking him for programmes after he gave a speech at a senior management conference in 2007 that attendees described as misogynistic and offensive.
The article says Sharman met Brand at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival, and that he later appeared on Richard and Judy’s Book Club and Loose Women. One source said some executives walked out of his conference speech, while another said entertainment controller Claudia Rosencrantz had earlier blocked Brand from hosting the 2006 Brit Awards; he hosted the 2007 event. Brand was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison after being convicted of rape and three sexual assaults.
In short
- Sources say ITV continued booking Brand after an offensive 2007 speech.
- Alison Sharman was described as a vocal supporter of Brand.
- Brand received a ten-and-a-half-year sentence for rape and sexual assaults.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Critics may argue that continuing to book Brand after senior staff reportedly found his speech misogynistic and offensive showed poor judgement and a failure to take workplace concerns seriously. Broadcasters with influence over public culture have a responsibility to consider how their choices affect staff and audiences, particularly when complaints are raised internally.
The case against
A defender of the decisions might argue that an offensive speech, as described by some attendees, did not by itself establish that Brand had committed criminal offences, and that programming choices should be judged on the information available at the time. They could also note that the account reports differing views within ITV, including an earlier decision to block him from hosting the Brit Awards, rather than a uniformly supportive stance.
Explained simply
Russell Brand became a prominent comedian and television presenter in the 2000s, appearing on programmes across British broadcasters including ITV, the BBC and Channel 4. ITV executive Alison Sharman was among the senior figures involved in commissioning and booking entertainment programmes.
Broadcasters’ past decisions about Brand have drawn scrutiny as accounts of complaints about his conduct have emerged. His career included appearances on Richard and Judy’s Book Club and Loose Women, as well as hosting the Brit Awards.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “How ITV’s top bosses fell under the spell of ‘vile’ rapist Russell Brand: ALISON BOSHOFF”.