Comedy Head Jack Bayles Steps Back After Russell Brand Trial Verdict

Jack Bayles has stepped back from his position as head of comedy at Various Artists Limited following the guilty verdict against Russell Brand. The decision comes after court testimony revealed that Bayles was present during a 2009 incident in which Brand allegedly sexually assaulted a Channel 4 employee.

A representative for VAL, the production company behind Michaela Coel's drama I May Destroy You, confirmed the move. The company stated it asked Bayles to step back while it considers the verdict and the events surrounding the trial. The statement added that the company's thoughts were primarily with every one of Brand's victims at this time.

The trial heard that Bayles and another member of Brand's entourage, Gareth Roy, told the woman that Brand would only continue working if she gave him a massage. According to The Times, the woman's workplace manager testified that the men watched and laughed while Brand placed his head in the woman's groin area. The manager said the victim was told several times to just do it by Bayles and Roy.

Brand was found guilty on Thursday of sexually assaulting the Channel 4 employee, along with two other counts of sexual assault and one count of rape. The incident occurred in 2009, seventeen years before the verdict was handed down.

In a statement to The Times, Bayles said he was appalled and sickened by Brand's actions. He acknowledged that he clearly missed something at the time and did not see nor recognize that it caused distress. Bayles described the working environment as frantic, pressured, and toxic, noting that he was in the early stages of his career.

Bayles said he did not remember the specific incident but admitted he failed to spot it and step in. He stated that he stopped working with Brand in 2010 and has had no contact with him since. The producer also noted that no complaints about Brand's behavior were made to him during their time working together.

Bayles joined VAL four years ago as head of comedy after serving as a Channel 4 commissioning editor in 2017. He previously produced the series Catastrophe with Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney. The company was founded in 2017 by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong.