YouTube cuts off Russell Brand’s ad revenues; BBC removes content from streaming services

WA TODAY

London: YouTube said on Tuesday it had blocked Russell Brand from making money from his online channel after the British actor and comedian was accused of a string of sexual assaults.

Meanwhile, the BBC said it had removed some programs featuring the comedian and actor from its streaming services.

UK Police have confirmed they have received a new allegation against Russell Brand.

Brand, once one of Britain’s most high-profile comedians and broadcasters, said on Saturday he had never had non-consensual sex.

It came as The Sunday Times newspaper and Channel 4 TV’s documentary show Dispatches reported that four women had accused the 48-year-old of sexual assaults, including a rape, between 2006 and 2013.

The allegations about Brand have sent shockwaves through the British media and dominated coverage since they emerged on Saturday.

Episodes of Big Brother, Bake Off and QI have been pulled from the BBC sites years after they were first uploaded. The BBC said on Tuesday it had removed some shows featuring Brand from its iPlayer and Sounds platforms after deciding that some past television and radio content “now falls below public expectations”.

Caroline Dinenage, chair of parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said she had written to the BBC plus broadcasters Channel 4 and GBNews, as well as tech firm TikTok regarding the allegations.

London police said on Monday they had received an allegation of sexual assault dating from 2003.

Brand, the former husband of US singer Katy Perry, has repositioned himself in recent years to build a more than 6 million-strong following to his YouTube channel.

Recent videos included an interview with the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and discussions on everything from COVID to UFOs, censorship and wellbeing.

YouTube, owned by Google parent Alphabet Inc, said it had suspended monetisation on Brand’s channel after he violated its creator responsibility policy.

“If a creator’s off-platform behaviour harms our users, employees or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community,” a YouTube spokesperson said.

Experts quoted in British media outlets said Brand was likely getting up to £4,000 ($7675) per YouTube video, which could see him rake in around £1million ($1.9m) a year.