New claims made in Russell Brand saga

Questions about how radio management handled complaints against Russell Brand have been raised as the BBC investigates the comedian’s behaviour.

Complaints about Russell Brand prior to him being sacked over a lewd prank call made to actor Andrew Sachs over his daughter were never escalated to a more senior executive than the head of Radio 2.

It is understood the BBC has begun investigating complaints about Brand’s behaviour when he worked as a presenter, first on 6Music in 2006 and then on Radio 2 until he was dismissed in 2008.

Insiders say the Beeb has not traced the complaints beyond the network’s senior management.

The corporation has now contacted Lesley Douglas, who was controller of Radio 2 at the time, informing her that she no longer needs to stick to confidentiality agreements put in place when she left the BBC.

That means she could if requested give evidence to the BBC review revealing the extent of what she knew.

She resigned in October 2008 as part of the clearout following the call that was made by Brand and the presenter Jonathan Ross to Mr Sachs.

Ross and Brand were sacked by the BBC for lewd messages left on Mr Sachs’s answering machine relating to Brand’s relationship with his granddaughter.

The call in which Ross told Sachs “he F****d your daughter” was aired and shocked listeners at the time.

Other allegations about Brand’s time at the BBC have come to light. Brand is alleged to have followed a woman into a bathroom before exposing himself “as you would be serving someone food”.

“I’m gonna f--k you,” Brand said, according to a new woman to come forward with allegations against the British comedian.

Minutes after the alleged flashing, Brand was recorded laughing on his BBC radio program that he “showed his willy to a lady”.

The shocking accusation comes after a series of women have spoken out against the 48-year-old’s alleged actions dating back over a decade.

Russell Brand leaves the Troubabour Wembley Park amid sexual assault allegations. Picture: Getty Images

Brand, who has vehemently denied allegations that have come to light in the past week, did not respond to the BBC and its latest claim that he followed the woman into a bathroom at the broadcaster’s Los Angeles office in 2008.

Calling her by the pseudonym “Olivia”, the BBC reported that she answered the door to Brand and his team prerecording The Russell Brand Show, which aired on BBC Radio 2.

While squatting in a bathroom medicine cabinet looking for sinus medication, she allegedly turned around to find a man’s crotch in her face.

“I was startled and got up and I realised it was the man that I’d let in – Russell,” she said.

She told the news outlet that Brand said he thought she was “a bit of alright” and called her the wrong name, and when she corrected him, she said he replied: “Well, I’m gonna f--k you.”

“And I said: ‘No, you’re not”.

That’s when Brand is alleged to have pulled out his penis, on his hand, “pretty much served it to me as you would be serving someone some food”.

“There was a bit of banter going on because I didn’t know what to do,” she said of feeling “trapped” in the bathroom.

Minutes later Brand recorded his radio program with Matt Morgan, which aired on June 21, 2008, which Olivia says she tracked down following an investigation into Brand by the Times and Channel 4, which aired last weekend.

Talking about Xena Warrior Princess, Lucy Lawless, Brand joked that she’s the type of woman he “won’t be able to drag her off into the cubicle, and show her my pubicles”.

“It’s been 25 minutes since he showed his willy to a lady,” co-host Morgan said.

Laughing in response, Brand said it was “very easy to judge”.

Morgan quipped about the “receptionist”, saying “receive this!”

“How am I supposed to ring that little bell, with my finger?” Brand added.

“He got told off for ringing a bell, minutes later he’s showing his willy,” Morgan continued.

The latest allegations date back to the height of Russell Brand’s fame in 2008, when he appeared in the film 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall'. Picture: Supplied

While to woman did not make a formal complaint in 2008, BBC management was informed about the exchange 11 years later in 2019 by another BBC staffer who heard the story from Olivia. No formal action was taken in response.

“I feel ashamed, but more so I wonder had something been done, perhaps there would have been fewer women he would have done horrible things to, which we’re reading about in the papers now,” Olivia said.

“Had I known audio existed, I probably would have done something as the incident would have been corroborated,” she added.

The BBC’s Director General Tim Davie, who has already announced a review of Russell Brand’s time at the BBC, invited the woman to contact them about the allegation.

“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,” BBC added in a statement.

Originally published as New claims made in Russell Brand saga