BBC investigating claim Russell Brand exposed himself to woman and laughed about it on radio show

The BBC has launched an investigation into a claim Russell Brand exposed himself to a woman before laughing about it on his radio show. The incident allegedly happened in 2008 when the woman was working in the same building as the corporation’s office in Los Angeles.

Minutes later, Brand was recorded laughing about it on his Radio 2 show, with his co-presenter saying that the comedian had “showed his willy to a lady”. The latest allegation comes in the wake of a series of sexual allegations by four women, which Brand has vehemently denied. 

The woman, referred to as ‘Olivia’, was reportedly left “stunned and disgusted” by the encounter. In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: “We’re very sorry to hear of these allegations and we will look into them.

“We are conducting a review to look at allegations of this nature and if the woman who has shared her story is willing to speak to us, we would be very keen to hear from her and anyone else who may have information.

“A key part of the review is to understand what complaints were made at the time, if there was knowledge of Russell Brand’s conduct while he worked on BBC radio, and what was done as a result.

“We will, of course, speak to the bureau team and anyone who was working there in 2008 as part of this. Further, the director-general has been very clear that some broadcasts from that period were, and are, inexcusable and totally unacceptable, and would never be aired today.”

Brand has faced accusations of rape, assault, and emotional abuse during the period from 2006 to 2013 when he was at the peak of his fame, working for both the BBC and Channel 4, and appearing in Hollywood films. These allegations emerged following a collaborative investigation conducted by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4's Dispatches.

In response to these allegations, Channel 4 has initiated an investigation into Brand's tenure at their channels. Additionally, they have removed all content featuring Brand. The BBC has also reevaluated its content and decided to remove certain material that no longer aligns with public expectations.

Both YouTube, the platform hosting Brand's video channel, and Acast, where his podcast "Under The Skin" is featured, have announced that Brand will not profit from advertisements on their platforms.

Furthermore, Brand's remaining shows on his Bipolarisation tour have been postponed. Notably, right-wing video platform Rumble has asserted that the allegations against Brand are unrelated to their platform and will not impact his presence there.

Rumble said it upholds distinct values from YouTube and is committed to safeguarding a free internet. Despite not agreeing with the behaviour of some Rumble creators, they have chosen not to penalise them for actions unrelated to their platform.

In his most recent video posted on his platforms, Brand refuted any criminal allegations, asserting that while he has been promiscuous, all his relationships have been consensual.

Brand has not responded to the latest allegation.