Entertainment · Celebrity · 1 hr ago
Report says ITV executive promoted Russell Brand despite concerns
Russell Brand was jailed for 10 and a half years after being convicted of rape and three sexual assaults.
The case has renewed scrutiny of broadcasters that supported him during his rise to fame.
Sources say ITV executive Alison Sharman promoted Brand after meeting him at the Edinburgh festival in 2006.
They say he appeared on ITV programmes including Richard and Judy's Book Club and Loose Women.
A source said Brand gave a misogynistic speech at an ITV senior management conference in January 2007, prompting some people to leave.
Brand continued to be booked on ITV shows, and he hosted the Brit Awards in 2007 after another executive had previously vetoed him for the role.
Sharman did not respond to requests for comment, and no further action by ITV is stated.
A Daily Mail report says ITV executive Alison Sharman promoted Russell Brand despite concerns about his conduct.
The report says Brand addressed ITV senior managers in January 2007 and continued to be booked for television appearances afterward.
Unnamed sources said some executives objected to Brand’s conduct and walked out of his speech.
The article says Brand was later convicted of rape and three sexual assaults and sentenced to ten and a half years in prison.
- Who
- ITV executive Alison Sharman and comedian Russell Brand. The report also describes concerns voiced by some ITV executives.
- What
- A report says Sharman supported and promoted Brand at ITV despite concerns about his conduct.
- When
- Sharman met Brand in 2006, and he addressed ITV senior managers in January 2007. The article was published on 12 November 2026.
- Where
- ITV, including its senior management conference and daytime programmes.
- Why
- The article says Sharman was a vocal supporter of Brand after meeting him at the Edinburgh festival. Her reasons are not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Sharman met Brand at the Edinburgh festival, which she chaired.
Brand addressed ITV's senior management conference, according to an unnamed source.
Brand hosted the BRIT Awards after Claudia Rosencrantz had left ITV.
Brand appeared on Loose Women and said he had kissed Meghan Markle when she was an extra in Get Him To The Greek.
Brand was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison after being found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults.
- ITV executive
- Alison Sharman, controller of factual and daytime from 2005
- Senior management conference
- January 2007
- BRIT Awards
- Brand hosted in 2007
- Loose Women
- Brand appeared in 2010
- Prison sentence
- Ten and a half years
What people are saying
Some people walked out rather than listen to this foul stream of misogyny.
What I couldn't believe was that even after this, he kept being booked to appear on shows.
He then gave a speech which was absolutely vile about women and having sex with them.