AH

I've met Russell Brand twice (I think): Once when I hosted a Guardian Live event about his book in 2014. Another time I interviewed him for The Big Issue when I was guest editing in 2015. He also gave my publishers an endorsement for my book The Establishment, which I was mortified about at the time mostly because I thought it was so OTT it would obviously invite ridicule (which it did). At the time I saw him as a crude means to reach disillusioned younger people with left-wing politics - the sort of people who wouldn't be reached by conventional left-wing journalists and politicians. As a result I was willing to overlook, or just not look into, his history of problematic behaviour / statements, including sexism. I convinced myself that he was on some sort of journey and that was a good thing. That was an obvious misjudgement. I did think he was a bit of a chancer / had a messianic complex, but overlooked that too as a necessary evil in reaching disengaged people. But that was clearly his main driving force and he clearly ended up concluding that right-wing politics was a better vehicle to satisfy it. It's an important lesson in not stupidly engaging clearly problematic figures, however charismatic or however much mass appeal they have, in the service of a cause. What I would say is that right now we should be centring the survivors of a rapist and sexual predator. I personally don't really think those trying to point score have his survivors' interests at heart. I would also argue that those with the big questions to answer are the right-wing figures who continue to stand by him and spread conspiratorial nonsense in his defence. Finally, let's hope that other possible survivors of Russell Brand feel able to come forward.

MTV Dirty Sanchez star Michael 'Pancho' Locke dies aged 47 bbc.in/4AghAnY