- By Steven McIntosh
- BBC News
Russell Brand performed at a planned concert at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theater on Saturday evening.
Comedian and actor Russell Brand was accused of rape, sexual assault and psychological abuse during a seven-year period at the height of his fame.
Four women allege sexual assault between 2006 and 2013.
Brand denied the allegations and said his relationships had been “always consensual.”
During the years covered by the allegations, Brand held various high-profile jobs at different times, including at BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4, and as an actor in Hollywood films.
Other allegations made in the investigation relate to Brand’s allegedly controlling, abusive and predatory behavior.
The investigation is published in the Sunday Times, while the Dispatches documentary, Russell Brand – In Plain Sight, was broadcast on Channel 4 on Saturday.
Hours after the allegations were made public, Brand conducted a scheduled comedy concert at the 2,000-capacity Troubadour Wembley Park Theater in northwest London as part of his Bipolarization tour.
During the set, which lasted about an hour, Brand alluded to the accusations but did not respond directly to them. He told the audience there were things he wanted to talk about but couldn’t.
This video has been removed for copyright reasons
During his set, Brand alluded to the accusations but did not directly respond to them.
Several women made allegations against Brand as part of the investigation:
- A woman claims Brand raped her against a wall in his Los Angeles home. She was treated at a rape crisis center the same day. The Times claims to have viewed medical records to support this hypothesis.
- A second woman alleges that Brand assaulted her when he was in his early 30s and she was 16 and still in school. She alleges he called her “child” during an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship.
- A third woman claims Brand sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles and threatened legal action if she told anyone else about his allegations.
- The fourth woman alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Brand and that he was physically and emotionally abusive towards her.
On Friday, Brand released a video in which he denied the “serious criminal allegations” he said were about to be made against him.
The actor and comedian said he had received letters from a television station and a newspaper containing “a litany” of “aggressive attacks.”
Brand posted a video on YouTube denying the allegations, adding that his relationships were “always consensual.”
In the video, posted to YouTube and
“These allegations relate to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies, and as I’ve written a lot in my books, I was very, very promiscuous.
“Now, during this period of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual.”
Brand said he believed he was the subject of a “coordinated attack” and was going to look into the matter because it was “very, very serious.”
Without referring to the comedian by name, the Metropolitan Police said they were “aware of media reports of a series of sexual assault allegations” but had not received any reports .
“If anyone believes they have been the victim of a sexual assault, no matter how long ago it happened, we encourage them to contact the police.”
The Sunday Times said all the women only felt ready to speak after being approached by journalists. The newspaper said many felt compelled to do so given Brand’s new prominence as an online wellness influencer.
Most of the women, who the Times said do not know each other, chose to remain anonymous.
The Sunday Times said it had given Brand eight days to respond to the detailed allegations, and when given another opportunity to respond, Brand posted his response video on his YouTube channel.
Image source, Getty Images
Brand, pictured in 2014, began his career in stand-up comedy before moving into broadcasting and theatre.
The woman who said she was 16 when she came into contact with Brand told the Sunday Times: ‘Russell behaved like a groomer, looking back, but I didn’t even know what that was. was at the time, nor what it looked like.”.
Another woman told the newspaper that she repeatedly told Brand to get rid of her during a sexual assault, and that when he finally gave in, he “turned around” and was “super angry “.
Another woman said Brand pushed her against the wall and raped her, without a condom. She alleged that Brand tried to stop her from leaving until she told him she was going to the bathroom.
“I ran out and jumped in my car – thank God I didn’t park in her driveway – and booked it from there,” she said.
Brand has hosted a number of radio and television programs for networks including Channel 4, MTV, Radio X and the BBC.
He began his career as a comedian in the early 2000s, but got his big break a few years later as host of Big Brother’s Big Mouth on E4.
After his profile rose, Brand was cast in Hollywood films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek and Arthur.
The woman who said she was 16 when she met Brand told The Times she took her allegations to her literary agent Angharad Wood, co-founder of Tavistock Wood, owned by Curtis Brown, in 2020.
Tavistock Wood told the BBC: “Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegations made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him. Tavistock Wood has ended all professional links with Brand .”
A Channel 4 spokesperson told BBC News: “Channel 4 is dismayed to learn of these deeply disturbing allegations, including behavior which is alleged to have taken place in programs made for Channel 4 between 2004 and 2007.
“We are determined to understand the full nature of what happened. We have carried out extensive documentary research and have found no evidence to suggest that the alleged incidents were brought to the attention of Channel 4.
“We will continue to review this situation in light of any further information we receive, including the stories of those affected. We will ask the production company which produced the programs for Channel 4 to investigate these allegations and communicate its findings appropriately and satisfactorily to us.”
He said that over recent years there had been significant changes in Channel 4’s management and that it was committed to ensuring the television industry was safe and inclusive.
The relationship with the 16-year-old allegedly took place at a time when Brand was working as a presenter on BBC Radio 6 Music.
It is alleged that Brand would strip naked in the studio while working on the series. Dispatches also said that Brand had made a series of on-air sexual remarks about a newsreader, for which he later implied that BBC production staff had asked him to apologize.
The Times added that sources had told the newspaper that a complaint had been made to BBC management over an “alarming display of aggression and disrespect” by Brand.
“The circumstances of the breach were investigated in detail at the time. We hope this demonstrates that the BBC takes the issues seriously and is prepared to take action.
“Indeed, over the years the BBC has evolved its approach to how it manages talent and how it deals with complaints or issues raised.
“We have clear expectations for conduct at work. These are set out in employment contracts, the BBC Values, the BBC Code of Conduct and the Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy.
“We will always listen to people if they raise concerns, on any matter relating to anyone working at the BBC, past or present.”
