Earlier on Wednesday, media minister Ian Murray said there is a “cultural problem” in the industry that needs to be “stamped out”.
Giving evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Murray said he was “deeply saddened and also angry” to see the prevalence of abuse by men in the media industry.
Meanwhile, Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson paid tribute to the “bravery” of victims who have shared their experiences in recent days.
Speaking in the Commons, she said: “Women and girls should never have to shrink our lives or ambitions because of outdated, misogynistic attitudes, and the appalling testimonies we have heard in recent days underline how much further we have to go.”
Comedian and podcaster Deborah Frances-White told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One that young women are “definitely” still being exploited in the comedy industry.
She told the programme that perpetrators understand consent but they just enjoy the power that comes with ignoring it, adding: “The thrill is in the contravention of consent.”
Asked whether she recognised the picture Russell Brand’s conviction and allegations against Walliams had painted of the comedy industry, she said: “Yes, entirely.”
She described an industry where she was asked to meet male producers in darkly lit rooms “walking a tightrope”, having to make them feel attractive and avoid being assaulted as they influenced future employment opportunities.
She said these events are “definitely still going on” and that she is in a WhatsApp group with female comedians who share their experiences with each other.