Images of a WhatsApp conversation between female comedians have surfaced, showing the women discussing their experiences of working alongside men they describe as “creepy” and “awful”.
The messages were brought to light following the conviction and sentencing of comedian-turned-Christian influencer Russell Brand. On November 11, comedian Kate Smurthwaite appeared on Newsnight, where she spoke about the ways women in the comedy industry have looked out for one another.
The UK government has invited women working in comedy to share their experiences by December 16, 2026. The initiative aims to examine how reports of abuse and harassment are handled within the industry, according to LADbible.
“Some venues are very aware of it”
Award-winning comedian Nina Gilligan, co-founder of anti-harassment group Get Off Comedy, told the inquiry in April: “We got 842 participants and one in six or one in seven said they had experienced or witnessed some form of sexual harassment.
“Some venues are very aware of it. They will set out their stall and put something in place, such as a clear reporting line, or make expectations clear before and after what should happen in the event of something like that happening. They might have it in their email communications. It would be good practice, but not all do.”
In the WhatsApp screenshots shared by Smurthwaite, one woman asked the group if anyone had experienced problems performing for a particular comedian. Others quickly described him as “beyond rude” and “creepy”, advising her to avoid him.
In another exchange, a comedian wondered whether she should pull out of a gig after discovering she would be sharing the bill with a man she wanted to avoid. She was torn between performing and protecting her own safety.
Women in comedy warn each other of men in the industry
Other messages warned that a comedian was now booking gigs under a different name, while one woman recalled sharing a car with a man she described as “awful”. She added that he was still being booked despite warnings to promoters.
“These are the conversations that we’re having,” Smurthwaite said.
“I don’t think it’s unique to the comedy industry, I think that there are women in similar groups in banks, women in similar groups in call centres. I don’t think there’s a magic place where this doesn’t happen.
“I do think comedy has its unique risks, it’s a freelance-heavy industry. When work is offered to you it’s very hard to say not. There’s no easy place to ascertain who you’re gonna be working with.
“And it happens late at night and people are often drunk, so there’s those risk factors.”
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