Russell Model has been accused of rape and sexual assault in alleged incidents on the top of his fame.
After beginning out in stand-up, Model gained notoriety because the host of Large Brother spin-off Large Brother’s Large Mouth between 2004 and 2007. Throughout these years, he additionally offered numerous exhibits on MTV, E4 and BBC Radio, earlier than touchdown roles in Hollywood films like 2008’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek.
Lately, the comic is best identified for his political activism and YouTube channel – the place he has over 6million subscribers. His movies have been criticised for peddling conspiracy theories on politics and the COVID-19 pandemic.
What are the allegations in opposition to Russell Model?
Russell Model has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse throughout a seven-year interval between 2006 and 2013.
The allegations, which had been revealed in a joint investigation by The Sunday Instances, the Instances and Channel 4’s Dispatches, are from 4 ladies. Model has denied the accusations.
One of many accusers alleged that Model raped her in 2012 in his Los Angeles dwelling. The lady, who was handled at a rape disaster centre on the identical day, mentioned she didn’t report the alleged rape to police on the time as a result of she was scared as a result of his fame.
One other lady claimed Model had assaulted her throughout an emotionally abusive three-month relationship, whereas he was 31 and she or he was aged 16. Talking within the Dispatches documentary, the lady, who remained nameless, claimed Model as soon as “pressured his penis down her throat”, which triggered her to punch him within the abdomen to make him cease.
A 3rd lady, who labored for Model, mentioned he sexually assaulted her in Los Angeles. She additionally claimed he threatened to take authorized motion if she instructed anybody else concerning the alleged incident.
A fourth lady alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Model, and accused him of being bodily and emotionally abusive in the direction of her.
As a part of the investigation, a number of others accused the comic of allegedly abusive, predatory and inappropriate behaviour within the office. These embrace claims from TV researchers and runners working at Channel 4, who alleged that Model would get employees to strategy younger feminine viewers members so he may meet them after filming.
A runner additionally claimed Model flashed his penis and implied she may give him oral intercourse when she walked into his dressing room.
On Monday (September 18), London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed that they had obtained a report referring to an alleged sexual assault in 2003.
The Met police have mentioned they obtained a report on Sunday of an alleged sexual assault from 2003 following @channel4dispatches and @TheTimes investigation about Russell Model.
They are saying they’re in touch with the lady and might be offering her with assist. #C4Dispatches
— Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) September 18, 2023
A spokesperson for the Met (by way of the BBC) mentioned: “We’re conscious of reporting by The Sunday Instances and Channel 4’s Dispatches about allegations of sexual offences.
“On Sunday, September 17, the Met obtained a report of sexual assault which was alleged to have taken place in Soho in central London in 2003. Officers are in touch with the lady and might be offering her with assist.”
What has Russell Model mentioned in response?
On Friday (September 15) earlier than the investigation was revealed, Model denied what he termed “very severe prison allegations” in a video on his YouTube channel. The comic mentioned the allegations had been outlined in two “extraordinarily disturbing letters” to him from a “mainstream media TV firm” and a newspaper.
“Amidst this litany of astonishing, somewhat baroque assaults are some very severe allegations that I completely refute,” Model mentioned.
“These allegations pertain to the time after I was working within the mainstream, after I was within the newspapers on a regular basis, after I was within the films, and as I’ve written about extensively in my books, I used to be very, very promiscuous.”
That is taking place pic.twitter.com/N8zIKLbJN2
— Russell Model (@rustyrockets) September 15, 2023
“Now throughout that point of promiscuity the relationships I had had been completely, all the time consensual. I used to be all the time clear about that then, virtually too clear, and I’m being clear about it now as nicely. To see that transparency metastasized into one thing prison, that I completely deny, makes me query – is there one other agenda at play?”
He added: “I don’t thoughts them utilizing my books and my stand-up to speak about my promiscuous consensual conduct previously. What I severely refute are these very, very severe prison allegations.
Model additionally claimed he knew of witnesses whose proof “straight contradicts the narrative that these two mainstream media retailers try to assemble”, in what he deemed as a “coordinated assault”.
“I really feel like I’m being attacked, and clearly, they’re working very intently collectively,” he added.
What have the BBC and Channel 4 mentioned?
After the report was revealed, the BBC, Channel 4 and manufacturing firm Banijay UK all introduced that they had launched inside investigations into the allegations.
In a press release, a BBC spokesperson mentioned: “The documentary and related experiences contained severe allegations, spanning numerous years.
“Russell Model labored on BBC radio programmes between 2006 and 2008 and we’re urgently trying into the problems raised.”
In a press release, Channel 4 mentioned: “[We are] appalled to study of those deeply troubling allegations together with behaviour alleged to have taken place on our programmes made for Channel 4 between 2004 and 2007.
“We’re decided to grasp the complete nature of what went on. We now have carried out in depth doc searches and have discovered no proof to recommend the alleged incidents had been delivered to the eye of Channel 4. We are going to proceed to overview this in gentle of any additional info we obtain, together with the accounts of these affected people.
“We now have requested the manufacturing firm who produced the programmes for Channel 4 to analyze these allegations and report their findings correctly and satisfactorily to us. Channel 4 can be conducting its personal inside investigation, and we might encourage anybody who’s conscious of such behaviour to contact us straight.”
Banijay UK, which purchased Endemol (the manufacturing firm behind Large Brother’s Large Mouth and others) in 2020, mentioned that they had launched an “pressing inside investigation”.
Channel 4 has additionally eliminated all episodes of exhibits that includes Model from its streaming service.
For assist, recommendation or extra info relating to sexual harassment, assault and rape within the UK, go to the Rape Disaster charity web site. Within the US, go to RAINN.
