Probe into Russell Brand´s 2008 departure defended by BBC head

The BBC´s head on Wednesday defended the media giant´s response to the scandal that led to Russell Brand´s 2008 departure, as the one-time star presenter faces sex abuse allegations.

BBC director general Tim Davie told the Royal Television Society (RTS) Cambridge Conference that the broadcaster thoroughly investigated when Brand left Radio 2 after leaving a "lewd" voicemail telling Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs he had slept with his granddaughter.

A joint investigation by the Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 aired over the weekend carried accusations of rape and assault against Brand between 2006 and 2013, when he was working for the broadcaster as well as Channel 4.

He said the probe into the 2008 scandal was a "rigorous piece of work" that led to "significant departures", although he admitted "I always look back with hindsight, when you hear things coming out, and you go, ´Could you have done more?´"

"We´re always going to have questions."

The BBC boss said there have been "deep problems with misogyny and abuse of power" and that broadcasters needed to be "utterly vigilant".

Following the recent accusations, the BBC launched an investigation into the former presenter and has removed content featuring him from its platforms.