The BBC has removed some programmes featuring Russell Brand they deem to ‘fall below public expectations’ from its iPlayer and Sounds sites.
A spokesperson for the BBC press office said: ‘The BBC does not ban or remove content when it is a matter of public record, unless we have justification for doing so.
‘There is limited content featuring Russell Brand on iPlayer and Sounds.
‘We’ve reviewed that content and made a considered decision to remove some of it, having assessed that it now falls below public expectations.’
On Saturday the Sunday Times, The Times and Dispatches published a joint investigation into allegations made against the 48-year-old comedian.
Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse by a number of women within the years 2006 to 2013 – a time when he appeared on many national television shows, as well as in Hollywood films.
The Get Him to the Greek star denies all allegations and accused the media of a ‘co-ordinated attack’ against him in a pre-emptive video posted the day before the investigation was published.
Yesterday, Channel 4 axed all its Brand content amid the allegations, which included episodes of the Great British Bake Off and Big Brother box sets the comic appeared on.
Now, BBC appear to be following suit and have deleted ‘some’ of Brand’s content from their sites.
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One of these includes an episode of Joe Wicks’ podcast, in which the fitness coach spoke to the comedian about ‘health and happiness’.
Although the BBC spokesperson did not elaborate on which shows have been axed, the broadcaster reported an episode of QI has also been removed.
Brand appeared in the episode alongside Aisling Bea, Noel Fielding, Sandi Toksvig and Alan Davies back in 2018.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee has also said she has written to the BBC, Channel 4, GB News and TikTok over the Russell Brand allegations.
In her letter to TikTok’s director of Government Relations, Dr Theo Bertram, she asked whether Brand is still able to monetise his TikTok posts, including those related to the allegations against him.
She also asked about safeguarding measures in place to stop creators from undermining the welfare of victims.
Having amassed millions of YouTube followers for his wellness channel, the platform this morning blocked Brand from earning money from his videos for ‘violating Creator Responsibility policy’ after the ‘serious allegations.’
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