Russell Brand accused of rape and sexual assault
- By Steven McIntosh
- BBC News
Russell Brand performed at a scheduled gig at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre on Saturday evening
Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse during a seven-year period at the height of his fame.
Four women are alleging sexual assaults between 2006 and 2013.
Brand has denied the allegations and said his relationships have been “always consensual”.
During the years covered by the allegations, Brand had various high-profile jobs at different times, including at BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4, and as an actor in Hollywood films.
Other claims made as part of the investigation relate to Brand’s allegedly controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour.
The investigation is published in the Sunday Times, while the Dispatches documentary, Russell Brand – In Plain Sight, aired on Channel 4 on Saturday.
Within hours of the allegations being published, Brand performed a scheduled comedy gig at the 2,000-capacity Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in north-west London, as part of his current tour.
During the set, which lasted about an hour, Brand alluded to the accusations but did not address them directly. He told the audience there were things he wanted to talk about but could not.
Brand was pictured leaving the venue in Wembley after his show
During his set, Brand alluded to the accusations but did not address them directly
Several women have made allegations against Brand as part of the investigation. Four of the women alleged sexual assault.
- One woman alleges that Brand raped her against a wall in his Los Angeles home. She was treated at a rape crisis centre on the same day. The Times says it has seen medical records to support this
- A second woman alleges that Brand assaulted her when he was in his early 30s and she was 16 and still at school. She alleges he referred to her as “the child” during an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship
- A third woman claims that Brand sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles, and that he threatened to take legal action if she told anyone else about her allegation
- The fourth woman alleged being sexually assaulted by Brand and him being physically and emotionally abusive towards her
On Friday, Russell Brand released a video in which he denied “serious criminal allegations” he said were about to be made against him.
The actor and comedian said he had received letters from a TV company and newspaper, containing “a litany” of “aggressive attacks”.
Brand posted a video on YouTube denying the allegations, adding his relationships were “always consensual”
In the video, posted on YouTube and X, formerly known as Twitter, Brand said: “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.
“Now during that time of promiscuity the relationships I had…