Britain’s world-renowned entertainment sector is facing mounting calls to usher in sweeping reforms and greater oversight, amid a fresh slew of rape and sexual abuse allegations against some of its powerful male stars.
“The media industry will need to look at itself and ensure whether it is taking all of the steps needed to protect the safety of women and girls who work within the industry,” Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned late Thursday after days of torrid headlines.
Comedian and ex-Hollywood actor Russell Brand was on Monday jailed for over 10 years for rape and sexual assault against four women dating back to the 2000s, when he was at the height of his fame, including raping a fan and abusing female staff from media organisations where he worked.
And on Friday London’s Metropolitan Police said they were investigating allegations of “serious sexual offences” made against children’s author David Walliams.
The comic and bestselling writer has denied the accusations published this week in a joint Guardian and ITV news investigation.
Comedian Lucy Beaumont, who revealed she had been one of the Guardian’s “whistleblowers” after learning second-hand about the accusations, said she felt there “is a window of opportunity to change things”.
Frank conversations were being had in an industry which had “no HR department, no proper duty of care”, Beaumont told…
