Brand allegations: Bectu urges regulator action

Trade union Bectu has called on broadcasters and production companies to commit to funding a new independent regulator to investigate complaints in the creative industries following the allegations made against comedian and actor Russell Brand.

In a letter to UK broadcasters and the Producers’ Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact), Head of Bectu, Philippa Childs, expressed "deep concern" on behalf of Bectu members over allegations relating Russell Brand's behaviour while working with a number of broadcasters and production companies.

"The need for an independent standards authority has never been more apparent," she said.

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"Broadcasters, production companies and studios must put their money where their mouth is and commit to funding and supporting the establishment of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA)."

"No more prevarication, the need is clear and urgent."

The CIISA, which is in the process of being established to support support the film, TV, theatre and music industries, will offer confidential advice, mediation and investigations into complaints from anyone who reports suffering abuse, harassment or bullying.

It has already received financial support from broadcasters including Sky, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 to develop its proposals to date, while SOLT and UK Theatre announced their in principle support for CIISA on behalf of the theatre sector in January 2023.

UK Music announced their commitment in early March 2023.

Stark reminder

"Whilst we appreciate that these cases are currently under investigation, these reports are deeply troubling and are a stark reminder that sexual harassment remains a scourge on the creative sector," Childs said.

"Reports that crew members had reported inappropriate workplace conduct many years ago, and yet no action was taken, are all the more concerning.

"In a sector where power imbalances are particularly extreme and the environment for junior freelancers can be incredibly precarious, it's critical that victims can have confidence that their complaints will be taken seriously, investigated thoroughly, dealt with swiftly, and perpetrators held to account.

"However, what we are seeing time and again is historical complaints and allegations coming to light. It is abundantly clear that your helplines and other measures that broadcasters frequently point to are woefully inadequate in dealing with complaints particularly those levelled at people in positions of power."

Childs said that while Bectu welcomes the internal investigations into Brand's behaviour launched by the BBC, Channel 4 and independent production company Banijay UK, current policies and procedures "are clearly not fit for purpose".

She said this is especially the case "when perpetrators are hugely powerful and their targets are often junior freelancers who may feel that their future employment is vulnerable".

"We know that many staff are also afraid to raise complaints due to endemic power imbalances, where presenters are seen as talent' and all-powerful," Childs said.

Serious allegations

Brand refutes the "very serious criminal allegations" made against him in a joint investigation conducted by the Channel 4 Dispatches programme and The Times.

"These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies, and as I’ve written about extensively in my books, I was very very promiscuous," he said.

"Now during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual.

"I was always transparent about that then, almost too transparent, and I’m being transparent about it now as well, and to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal, that I absolutely deny, makes me question, is there another agenda at play?"