A Predator Presenter and Ballroom Bullying: The U.K.’s Top Entertainment Scandals of 2024

It was a tough year for men in entertainment in the U.K., particularly for former or current BBC employees.

Allegations of abuse, bullying and predatory behavior were uncovered, the widespread feeling being that there is still plenty of work to do to make people feel safe and valued in the industry.

In May this year, a Bectu survey was taken from over 200 people across the country’s creative industries to better understand the problem. Overall, 92 percent of respondents told Bectu they had personally witnessed or experienced bullying or harassment on grounds of their sex or gender in the workplace. Six in 10 respondents had experienced unwanted and/or inappropriate touching, hugging or kissing from colleagues.

The industry harassment report came to the conclusion that high-profile claims such as those against Russell Brand have “done little to shift the dial” in Britain. A major exposé from The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches released in 2023 included the testimonies of multiple women who accused the comedian and actor of sexual assault and rape in incidents that spanned 2006 to 2013. Brand has denied the claims, but the fallout has spilled into this year, too.

Below, The Hollywood Reporter lists 2024’s top entertainment scandals in the U.K., from MasterChef controversy to backstage bullying.

Strictly Come Dancing professionals accused of abusive behavior

The show — which operates on the same premise as the U.S.’ Dancing With the Stars — is a staple of British television, but the broadcaster unveiled new welfare precautions in July after complaints were made about two dancers, including Giovanni Pernice, who soon after departed Strictly.

In late September, the BBC concluded its review of the allegations and apologized to actress Amanda Abbington (Sherlock). She had accused Pernice of “mean and abusive” behavior when they were partnered up on the beloved reality dance program.

Another dancer, Graziano Di Prima, also left when an Instagram statement from reality star Zara McDermott, who was assigned Di Prima as her dance partner in last year’s series, said watching videos of her time on the show was “incredibly distressing.” Di Prima apologized and said he “deeply regrets” his actions. “My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime,” the 30-year-old Italian added.

Pernice, meanwhile, has refuted the claims against him, telling supporters: “I will be back.” He won the Italian version of Strictly on Monday.

The BBC said that though the production team “took steps to address the issues as they understood them, ultimately these were not enough… While competition can be tough, rigorous and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyous and transformative experience. It is a great shame if this hasn’t been the case for everyone who has appeared on the show.”

BBC Sport presenter sacked amid claims of inappropriate behavior

Former soccer player Jermaine Jenas was one of BBC Sport’s favorite presenters, featuring on their flagship Match of the Day and even The One Show.

That is, until, in August when Jenas was removed from their line-up as reports suggested he had engaged in “inappropriate behavior.” BBC News said there were concerns over his “workplace conduct,” and that complaints were made about Jenas a few weeks prior to the news coming to light.

At first, a rep said on behalf of Jenas there were “two sides to every story” and that he would be “speaking with laywers” about the issue. Later, however, it was alleged that the star had been caught sending inappropriate texts to a female colleague. Jenas then told The Sun that he was “ashamed” over the texts, which were a “huge error of judgment” for which he was “deeply sorry”. He added he is “not a sex pest.”

In a lengthy and occasionally tearful interview on camera with the tabloid, Jenas said “nothing physical ever happened” but he considered what he did “cheating”. The father-of-four said he let his family down.

News anchor Huw Edwards pleads guilty to child sex abuse images

In September, ex-BBC News presenter Huw Edwards was handed a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years after pleading guilty to making indecent images of children.

In a case that shocked Britain, the anchorman — who hosted the BBC’s flagship News at Ten program and led landmark coverage for the corporation, including the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the London 2012 Olympics — said he was “profoundly sorry” for the “repugnant” images before he was sentenced at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court. He was also ordered to attend a sex offender rehabilitation program. The suspended sentence means that Edwards will only serve jail time if he reoffends in the next two years.

The former newscaster was arrested in November 2023 and charged in July this year after he was found to have 41 indecent images of children sent to him by another man, a convicted pedophile, on WhatsApp. The offenses are alleged to have taken place between 2020 and 2022.

But the BBC also took some heat over what exactly it knew and when. Edwards was paid between 475,000 and 479,999 pounds (around $627,000 to 632,000) from April 2023 to April 2024, mostly after the allegations had emerged. Though, he was eventually asked to pay back around 200,000 pounds ($255,000) in August this year.

A BBC spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter after the sentencing news: “We are appalled by his crimes. He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him.”

Russell Brand fallout continues

In November, detectives investigating sexual assault allegations against Brand asked prosecutors to consider bringing charges against the former comedian.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed it had received “a number of allegations of sexual offenses in London” and elsewhere in the U.K. following the joint investigation into Brand by Channel 4’s Dispatches, The Times, and The Sunday Times last year.

The Briton has denied all claims made against him, which date between 2006 and 2013 when the 49-year-old was at the height of his fame working on Big Brother’s Big Mouth, Kings of Comedy and Big Brother’s Celebrity Hijack. A Banijay U.K.-commissioned investigation found this year that informal complaints concerning Brand were made over 20 years ago on set.

The Met Police confirmed to THR last month that a file of evidence has been passed to the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for their consideration. “As part of the investigation, a man in his 40s has been interviewed by officers under caution on three separate occasions,” their statement said. These interviews related to a number of non-recent sexual offenses alleged to have taken place inside and outside of London.

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, whose team is leading the investigation, said: “Our investigation continues and a file has now been passed to the CPS. We have a team of dedicated officers providing specialist support to the women who have come forward. We are committed to investigating sexual offenses, no matter how long ago they are alleged to have taken place.”

MasterChef star steps down over misconduct allegations

Yet another problem for the BBC (the corp was featured on THR‘s list of Hollywood’s Biggest Winners and Losers of 2024) emerged in November when Gregg Wallace, co-host of the wildly popular BBC show MasterChef, was asked to step down from the role while allegations of historical misconduct are investigated.

Banijay U.K., producers of MasterChef, said Wallace is cooperating with the internal investigation after BBC News reported accusations that Wallace made inappropriate sexual comments to co-workers over a 17-year period came from 13 different people. They included broadcaster Kirsty Wark, a U.K. Celebrity MasterChef contestant in 2011. She said that on two occasions, the presenter made jokes of a “sexualized nature” in front of the cast and crew.

In the immediate aftermath, Wallace added fuel to the fire by responding that the accusations had come from “middle-class women of a certain age.” He later apologized, and his lawyers have maintained it is entirely false that he engaged in behavior of a sexually harassing nature.

Food critic Grace Dent is set to replace him in the next series of Celebrity MasterChef, though it isn’t clear if she’ll take his place indefinitely.