Minister urges culture change in media amid David Walliams allegations

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Ian Murray said he was ‘deeply saddened and also angry’ to see the prevalence of abuse by men in the media industry.

Media minister Ian Murray has said there is a “cultural problem” that needs to be “stamped out” after allegations of inappropriate behaviour against David Walliams.

Walliams, 55, was named this week as part of an investigation by journalists involving accusations of grooming teenage girls as young as 15 and abusing his position to pursue women.

Giving evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Wednesday, Mr Murray said he was “deeply saddened and also angry” to see the prevalence of abuse by men in the media industry.

“We’ve got to support the brave women that are coming forward, not just women, but brave women in particular.

“We want to make sure it’s stamped out. This industry has, in the past, been rife with it. It’s a cultural problem, and that cultural has to change.

“There should be a zero-tolerance approach with support for the brave women, support for whistleblowers, and making sure the industry can clean up its own act.”

Mr Murray said non-disclosure agreements are a “major part of the problem” and referenced comedian Russell Brand, who was jailed for 10-and-a-half years at Southwark Crown Court on Monday after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

He said: “If you’re up against a a major star such as Russell Brand, it’s very frightening to be able to report that.

“But also, you have to be confident the systems are in place for you to be able to do that confidently. That you’ll be listened to, and then there’ll be action taken.

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