Channel 4 has "ignited a national conversation" and reported on itself "without fear" with its documentary about Russell Brand, according to Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon.

An extract of an email sent to all staff by Mahon was shared by Louisa Compton, external, the head of news at Channel 4.

The extract starts with Mahon saying she "wholeheartedly commends the extraordinary journalism the Dispatches and Channel 4 Compliance team brought to this powerful film".

"While the allegations our team has helped unearth are deeply disturbing, I hope they ultimately lead to further positive change in our industry, and I am committed to ensuring we are at the forefront of that change," it adds.

The email went on to say that anyone with concerns about inappropriate behaviour can contact a manager or people partner, or use the confidential Speak Up facility, adding "all these routes get taken very seriously and are investigated".

• One of Brand's alleged victims told the BBC she "felt dirtied" and was insulted by his denials
• The alleged victim, Alice, said a BBC car would take her from school to Brand's house when she was 16 and he was 30
• Alice has said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by Brand: "I felt cheap, I felt dirtied"
• The PM's spokesman described the allegations against Brand as "very serious", saying "there should never be any space for harassment"
• Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer will speak to broadcasters about their investigations into Brand
• Brand's agent at the time of the alleged assaults said he was "very surprised" and had never heard any complaints about his former client

• The Times said more women had come forward with claims
• Brand's book publisher and talent agency have paused or terminated their relationships with him
• A theatre in Windsor where Brand is due to perform on Tuesday is "having discussions" about the show

This morning on Woman's Hour, one of Russell Brand's accusers described the actor's denial as "insulting".

Alice (not her real name) was referencing a video he put out on Friday, ahead of the publication of the allegations by the Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 on Saturday., external

In the clip, Brand denied "serious criminal allegations" that were about to be made against him.

He said he was the subject of a "co-ordinated attack" involving "some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute".

"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."

Image source, PA Media

That is how Alice earlier reflected on her relationship with Russell Brand.

She says she was 16 years old when she began her relationship with Brand, who was 30 at the time. That is legal in the UK, but not elsewhere in the world - in some US states, for instance.

"As I became an older woman and began reaching the same age as him, that's when I really started to feel angry," Alice said.

What is the age of consent in the UK?

The age of consent in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is 16. This means it is against the law to have sex with someone under the age of 16 in the UK.

Can a 16-year-old consent to a 30-year-old in the UK?

As long as a person is 16 or older, there is no minimum age gap for relationships or sexual encounters in the UK - unless the older person is a teacher or in a position of authority, where different rules can apply.

That means that, for instance, a 16-year-old can consent to a relationship with most 30-year-olds in the UK.

What are the laws in other countries?

The age of consent around the world ranges from 14, in countries like Germany and Portugal, to 20 in South Korea. In some countries, a person needs to be married to consent.

These laws are changing all the time: Japan raised its age of consent from 13 to 16 this year.

There are lots of caveats, too. In Germany, a person over 21 can have sex with a 14 year old, but only if the younger person is not exploited - with the younger person required to make a complaint.

Some US states like Colorado, external have additional rules known as "close-in-age exemptions". For instance, the age of consent in the state is 17 but those aged 15 and 16 may consent to a relationship with someone up to 10 years older.

Could alleged victims sue Russell Brand and media channels?published at 13:02 British Summer Time 18 September 2023

13:02 BST 18 September 2023

Dominic Casciani
Home and Legal correspondent

A lawyer who represents victims of sexual assault says the women who have complained about Russell Brand may have only just realised they're not the only ones - and they now need to consider where they want this to end.

Alan Collins has acted for victims of Jimmy Savile and former football commentator Stuart Hall. He said that when he first meets complainants, they often haven't considered where they want to end up.

"I go through the options, starting with whether they have been to the police.

"Do they want to bring their own case or would they rather be a witness for the prosecution [in a criminal trial]?

"I ask them, 'what do you want to achieve?'"

Many victims are attracted to starting their own claim for damages against an alleged abuser because it means they're in control - the case belongs to them, not the Crown Prosecution Service.

Lawyers then advise their clients on whether there's a case to sue not just the alleged perpetrator but also any organisation they were part of because they may bear some responsibility for the alleged harm caused.

In the case of Russell Brand, that could mean that the BBC, Channel 4 and others could one day face action over the allegations. Most damages cases tend to settle long before court.

But those few cases that go all the way to a judge take time to get there - perhaps two years or more.

As a reminder - Brand has strongly denied the allegations against him, saying his relationships "were absolutely, always consensual".

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer is expected to speak to broadcasters about their investigations at the next opportunity, the PA news agency reports.

She will seek assurances that their investigations will be conducted thoroughly and transparently.

The BBC, Channel 4 and production firm Banijay UK said yesterday they are investigating the allegatons against Brand.

Brand worked as a radio presenter for the BBC between 2006 and 2008 and was also a presenter for shows on Channel 4, including Big Brother's Big Mouth.

Helena Wilkinson

I understand that theatre managers at the Theatre Royal Windsor, where Russell Brand is scheduled to perform live on Tuesday night, are currently in discussions with the tour promoters.

They will have an update in due course.

As a reminder, Brand performed at Wembley Park Theatre on Saturday, after the allegations were made, and is also due to appear in Plymouth and Wolverhampton this month.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesman says "there should never be any space for harassment, regardless of where it is found" following the allegations aganst Russell Brand.

The allegations were "very serious and concerning", the spokesman adds, while reminding people that the Met Police has asked those who believe they have been a victim of sexual assault to come forward.

"As the foreign secretary said over the weekend, people should feel able to raise concerns where they have them and know they will be treated seriously and treated with sensitivity," the spokesman says.

Image source, Getty Images

Alice told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour this morning she was 16 years old when she was picked up at a school by a BBC chauffeur-driven car and taken to Brand's home.

We've asked the BBC to respond directly to this claim, but in the meantime, this is what a corporation spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday:

BBC News is editorially independent of the BBC when covering stories involving the corporation - so BBC News has to approach the corporation for comment like any other news organisation.

Here's more from Alice's BBC interview:

Earlier this morning, BBC Woman's Hour spoke to Alice (not her real name) about the three-month relationship she says she had with Brand when she was 16, and he was 30.

As a reminder, Alice says she met Brand when he approached her in Leicester Square after she had been shopping at Topshop.

"He took my shopping bags from me which was quite disarming... he took one dress out and said to me, ‘You’re going to wear this on our date this week’,” she told the Times and Sunday Times.

Here are some of the key quotes from Alice's Woman's Hour interview:

Literary and talent agency Tavistock Wood has "terminated all professional ties" with Brand.

One of their agents was reportedly approached in 2020 by one of the women in this weekend's investigation., external But the woman only heard back from Brand's lawyer.

"Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him. TW has terminated all professional ties to Brand," a new statement said.

As a reminder, Brand has strongly denied all the allegations in the joint investigation by the Times, Sunday Times, and Channel 4.

Russell Brand's publisher, Bluebird, is "pausing" all future projects with Russell Brand.

Brand, a best-selling author since publishing his first autobiography in 2007, has been working with Pan Macmillan imprint Bluebird since 2017.

He was working on another book that was scheduled for publication this December.

A statement from the company said: "Bluebird has taken the decision to pause all future publishing with Russell Brand."

The BBC spoke to John Noel, Russell Brand's former agent, in London this morning.

Noel - who stopped working with Brand around 2014 - said he never heard any complaints about him, "other than turning up late".

Watch his comments below.

• Alice, not her real name, said Brand's response to the recent allegations is "insulting"
• She described the sugestion that it's a mainstream media conspiracy as "laughable"
• Alice said a BBC chauffeur-driven car was used to pick her up from school and take her to Brand's house - she was 16 and he was 30
• Brand coached her on what to say to get away with seeing him, she also alleges, with some people suggesting to pretend she was his niece or god-daughter
• It was a surprise her story had such an impact, she told Woman's Hour, adding that she came forward to protect other potential victims
• Alice also laid out how the three-month relationship in 2006 took a huge toll on her mental health, causing her fail to finish school and start a string of "sleazy" relationships
• And she said there should be a conversation about changing the laws of consent around 16-year-olds

Brand has strongly denied all the allegations against him in the investigation published by the Times, Sunday Times and Channel Four, external published over the weekend.

Alice says that Brand's management advised him not to be seen with her.

"Because they said it wasn’t a good look for him and for his career, he’s just you know made it to where he wants to be and it’s not a good idea."

She recalls discussions around telling people that she was his god-daughter or niece.

"Because people know he was an only child, they said 'why don’t you just meet inside?'

"You’re not doing anything illegal but because people disapprove, we just don’t risk being seen out and about publicly. We would go in and out the house at different times."

Alice says her mother tried to "stop what was going on", took her phone away, and grounded her. But, she says, she was still able to continue the relationship with Brand.

"I’m 16 years old so I need to definitely to go to school. I need to go to after-school activities. I need to see my friends, within those times that I would sneak off and see him," she recalls.

"Russell groomed me, he coached me on what to say to my parents.

"He told me to save his number in my phone in a different name. I think we should at least start to think about changing the ideas of consent, because the individuals between the ages of 16 and 18 can have relations with people within that same age."

Alice is now describing the toll her alleged abusive relationship with Brand took on her life.

"It was my first sexual experiences and I felt used up, I felt cheap, I felt dirtied by the whole thing."

She says it meant she went on to have a series of relationships with "sleazy" people.

"I thought if I go for bottom of the barrel, I can never be disappointed by anyone and I can never be hurt by anyone because I know to expect the absolute worst.

"I missed a lot of school and was not in a good place mentally," Alice tells Woman's Hour.

She says at the time she was struggling with mental health issues and recovering from an eating disorder - all of which led to her failing to finish her A-levels.

Alice says a BBC car was used to take her from school at the age of 16 to Russell Brand's house.

She tells Woman's Hour that it was a chauffer-driven car, rather than a taxi.

The BBC has said it "urgently looking into the issues raised" by the allegations.

Asked what she would want from the corporation, Alice says she'd like to know why more was not done at the time of their relationship in 2006.

"He had a very well known record of doing things that were inappropriate on the air, he had inappropriate conversations."

Alice says she doesn't think Brand was being held to the same standards as other BBC presenters or newsreaders.

"There were exceptions and allowances made for him and we need to ask ourselves why," she adds.

Asked about Russell Brand's denial of the allegations, Alice says: "I think it is insulting."

"It is laughable that he would even imply that it's a mainstream media conspiracy. He's not outside of mainstream media."

She says that Brand's YouTube channel allows him to talk about conspiracy theories and frame the allegations in those terms.

"I think he was building himself an audience for years that would then have great distrust of any publication that came forward with allegations. He knew it was coming for a long time."

She says that she was not surprised that Brand denied all the allegations and said they were all consensual.

"What he didn't deny was that he had a relationship with a 16 year old," she added.