Women working the UK comedy circuit have set up a WhatsApp group blacklist to warn each other of male stars’ predatory behaviour, it has emerged today.

Comedian Daniel Sloss has gone on record, speaking to The Times, telling them that female comedians set up online groups to warn others about people they’ve worked with and had difficult experiences with, including predatory behaviour.

Mr Sloss told the times: “I know for many, many years that women have been warning each other about Russell.”

At least five other male comedians have been named in the conversations, MailOnline reports.

They include famous stars of TV, radio and stage - some still working, others who have disappeared from the limelight.

Mr Sloss said there were ‘many stories with varying degrees of severity’.

Comedian Sara Pascoe has also claimed there are two well-known predators in the comedy circuit.

She indicated that there is more than one predator in the comedy industry, including “a man that’s assaulted men.”

Comedian Stevie Martin disclosed the WhatsApp group existed as long ago as 2020, telling the Telegraph: “A Whatsapp-based blacklist began circulating of predatory male comics and promoters. It’s growing every day.”

  • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPMAEnglish
    5·
    1 year ago

    I watched the Jimmy Saville documentary and one of the ways he managed to keep a lid on things is the threat of defamation suits. I’m guessing that nobody here is naming names because of these.

    Yes, I’ve read that he had quite the fierce legal team that you didn’t want to get on your case.

    I thought we might’ve learned something from the Saville stuff but apparently not.

    There has been some discussion about NDAs in such cases being a bad idea. Unfortunately, while they protect the rich and powerful, it’ll be difficult to get rid of them.