Jack Bayles has stepped back as head of comedy at Various Artists Limited following Russell Brand’s conviction for rape and sexual assault, K.J. Yossman reported in Variety on Nov. 6.
“We have asked Jack Bayles to step back from the company whilst we consider the verdict and events surrounding the trial,” a company spokesman said. “Our thoughts, though, are primarily with every one of Brand’s victims at this time.”
Max Goldbart reported in Deadline that Bayles has also temporarily been dropped from Apple TV’s “The Choir,” the third season of the BBC’s “Such Brave Girls” and the new BBC show “Push.” Deadline did not give a duration for those removals.
The verdict and the allegations involving Bayles
Brand was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault after a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London, Deadline reported. He was acquitted of two other rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault.
One sexual-assault conviction concerned a woman who worked for Channel 4. According to Deadline’s account of her testimony, she told the court that in 2009 Bayles and another producer told her to give Brand a massage. She said they watched without intervening and subsequently laughed when she told Brand, “Urgh, you’re so bony.”
Those were allegations about Bayles’s conduct in testimony at Brand’s trial. Deadline reported that Bayles did not give evidence during the trial.
The woman said she complained to Channel 4 about Brand’s behavior at the time and was assured the matter had been escalated. Deadline added that there was no suggestion she complained about Bayles at the time.
Bayles’s response
