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Just saw a comedian say that it was a known secret within the UK comedy scene that he was like this. Seems like it's been known for a while but people have only just decided to come forward, which seems to be common in these cases.
“Ryan has previously spoken about her experience on Roast Battle, but has not named Brand or the show she was working on. In an appearance on BBC series Louis Theroux Interviews... last year, Ryan revealed that she confronted her unnamed co-star: “I – in front of loads of people, in the format of the show – said to this person’s face that they are a predator.”
Deadline has confirmed with multiple sources that she was referring to Brand and Roast Battle. Ryan told Theroux that she did not name her colleague because it was a “litigious minefield” and she had not personally been assaulted by Brand.”
That potential threat of litigation may have played a role.
Could she not have gone to the police? I know such and such is a sexual nonce please investigate?
With what evidence? What she knew was purely hearsay.
Fair enough, but it's not her job to do police work and collect evidence. That's for the police. I would imagine she could have gone to the police and said she's heard some allegations and that they should investigate. If they tell her to get lost then that's what she should be shouting about now: I went to the police and filed a complaint and even they didn't believe us this puts women at risk.
"Did he assault you?"
"No"
"Do you have anyone looking to make a claim of assualt?"
"No"
"Good day then"
You can't just go to the police and ask them to investigate industry hearsay.
Sorry I don't get it 😞. It's apparently so much of a "truth" that it was well known in the industry so much so that she's calling him out on this roast programme but not enough of a "truth" that she feels she can go to the authorities or show promoters or the BBC or Channel 4 or any other outlet they share?
That says something really fucked up about how we protect the vulnerable in our society which allows this type of predatory behaviour to continue.
Totally, the people at fault here are the management company and production companies that sought to protect their high-value star over protecting female staff. In the dispatches they mention that one company thought it would be better to just not have women work with him, rather than not hire him at all.
But the police can't move on anything without a direct accuser or proof so what else could be done?
Police require proof that they can ignore.
How many more “known secrets” are at large in the media? It seems nearly all of these scandalised public figures have that same thread in common - everyone knew they were a wrong’un but nobody spoke up about it.
In the documentary they talk about a WhatsApp group between female comedians so they can warn each other about predators in the industry. Sounds like someone should just dump that on the internet.
That would result in the female comedians being targeted for 'spreading rumors/disparaging men' and most likely result in all kinds of threats if their names were attached. Because the public at large blames women for being sexually harassed/assaulted, which is why it is a private group in the first place.
It would probably result in some attempted slander prosecutions too
Unfortunately the UKs libel laws make these kind of things difficult, especially if you're a smaller comedian and Brand was, for a bit, a Hollywood level star with the money and solicitors to bury you.
This investigation took four years across three media outlets to properly piece together, and gather enough evidence to get their legal teams to sign off on the release.