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Lord Grade’s production firm pursued Russell Brand after Katy Brand’s warning
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.
In short
- 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.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
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The case for
A production company could reasonably explore casting a prominent comedian while treating unverified rumours cautiously, particularly if it had no substantiated allegations and planned to handle any concerns carefully. The account also leaves open whether Lord Grade knew of Katy Brand’s warning, and his office says there is no suggestion he did.
The case against
Katy Brand says she raised concerns about problematic rumours and allegations before the casting effort continued, yet StoryFirst still wanted Russell Brand and said it would handle the matter carefully. That account supports scrutiny of whether the company took the warning seriously and whether the drive to recruit a high-profile performer was given too much weight.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Ofcom chief and ex-BBC chairman Lord Grade’s TV firm wooed Russell Brand despite warning from a female comic about his behaviour”.