Prominent British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and abuse by four women, according to a comprehensive investigation conducted jointly by three major British news organizations: The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches.
The allegations span a period between 2006 and 2013, a time when Brand was at the zenith of his fame, working for BBC Radio 2, Channel 4, and starring in Hollywood films, the investigative report reveals.
One woman has accused Brand of rape, while another alleges that he sexually assaulted her when she was just 16 and still in school. Two of the accusers claimed that the incidents occurred in Los Angeles.
Channel 4’s documentary show, Dispatches, was set to air further details of the allegations, including interviews with the women involved.
In response to the allegations, the 48-year-old Brand vehemently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that all of his relationships during that period were consensual.
He pointed out that his personal life at that time was well-documented in the media due to his celebrity status.
This is happening pic.twitter.com/N8zIKLbJN2
— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) September 15, 2023
“Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute…These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies. And as I’ve written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous,” Brand stated in a video message posted on social media.
He continued, “Now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual. I was always transparent about them then … and I’m being transparent about it now as well.”
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Brand also claimed that he is the target of a “coordinated attack.”
The investigative report, the result of a joint effort between The Sunday Times and Dispatches, began in 2019.
Russell Brand initially gained fame as a stand-up comic in the early 2000s in Britain, which led to starring roles on Channel 4 and BBC Radio, where he capitalized on his reputation for outrageous behavior and risqué banter.
He later transitioned to Hollywood, appearing in films such as “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” in 2008 and the 2011 remake of “Arthur.” Brand was married to US pop star Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012.
In recent years, Brand has shifted his career towards political commentary and advocacy, using platforms like YouTube to discuss subjects such as personal freedom and the COVID-19 pandemic.
