BBC removes some Russell Brand content from iPlayer and Sounds apps

The BBC has announced it was removing some content from its iPlayer and Sounds apps which “now falls below public expectations”.

An episode of QI and a Joe Wicks podcast, both featuring Brand as a guest, have been removed, the PA news agency understands.

YouTube has also stopped Russell Brand making money on its platform. The Google-owned company said it has suspended the monetisation of the 48-year-old’s channel because he was “violating” its “creator responsibility policy”.

Brand has been accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013, when he was at the height of his fame and working for the BBC, Channel 4 and starring in Hollywood films, following a joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

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He has strongly denied the allegations, which also include claims of controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour.

Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage has written to the BBC, Channel 4 and TikTok to request for further details on what actions they are taking in response to the allegations and to GB News in relation to their coverage of the claims.

Brand’s YouTube account, which has 6.6 million subscribers, has been suspended from YouTube’s Partner account “following serious allegations against the creator”, meaning the channel is no longer able to make money from advertising on the platform.

In a statement, YouTube said the decision applied to all channels that may be “owned or operated” by Brand, adding: “If a creator’s off-platform behaviour harms our users, employees or