# Lord Grade’s production firm pursued Russell Brand after Katy Brand’s warning

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/ofcom-chief-and-ex-bbc-chairman-lord-grades-tv-firm-wooed-russell-brand-despite-warning-from-a-female-comic-about-his-behaviour/
- Published: 2026-11-15T01:38:16+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T01:47:36+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16293259/Ofcom-BBC-Lord-Grades-TV-Russell-Brand-warning-female-comic.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Business, Companies, Entertainment, TV, World

## Key points

- Katy Brand says she warned StoryFirst about rumours concerning Russell Brand.
- The company continued trying to recruit him for her comedy.
- Lord Grade’s office says he was not told of her warning.

## Summary

Katy Brand says she warned StoryFirst in November 2021 about “problematic rumours and allegations” concerning Russell Brand, while the company was trying to cast him in a comedy she was writing. She says the producer made clear the firm still wanted him and that Lord Grade was leading efforts to recruit him, raising questions about how television companies handled concerns about his behaviour.

Emails released by Lord Grade show he contacted Brand’s agent in October 2021 and said he would “push hard” at a lunch meeting. StoryFirst’s producer reportedly told Katy Brand in January 2022 that the company would “handle it carefully” if Russell Brand took the role. Lord Grade’s office said the producer recalled her concerns as general, and said there is no suggestion Lord Grade was told of her warning or knew of allegations; the article also reports Brand’s recent conviction and sentence.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.