A year-long investigation by three UK news organizations makes many serious allegations against them Brand Russella longtime comedian and TV presenter who gained US attention with star turns in movies like Sarah Marshall forgets and Get it to Greece. But as his star rose, a pattern of alleged sexual assault and coercion emerged, according to a report published today in The Times. Four women, including one who was 16 at the time of the alleged incidents, say Brand sexually assaulted them in interactions that occurred between 2006 and 2013, and several others do allegations of harassment, predatory behavior and abuse.
Since his heyday of Hollywood fame about a decade ago, Brand has reinvented himself as a political thinker and author and again as a social media star inoculated with a conservative fan base. he is he took to X (formerly Twitter) Friday with a video apparently in response to the investigation from The Times, The Sunday Timesand a Channel 4 news magazine series Distributions.
In the video he said that two “mainstream media” publications with a “serious and concerted agenda” planned to release an investigation into his consensual relationships, but that the story “has been something criminal.” He also blamed the mainstream media. coordinated attack and said that there are witnesses whose evidence directly contradicts the statements. Vanity Fair has reached out to Brand’s representatives for comment following his post to X, but has not received a response as of publication time.
“My relationships were always consensual,” Brand says in the video. “I was always obvious about that then, almost too obvious. And I’m being transparent about it now .. I don’t mind them using my books and my position to talk about my promising consensual behavior in the past. What I strongly reject are these very serious criminal charges. ”
according to The TimesThe news outlets “gave Brand eight days to respond to detailed allegations, including information to allow him to recant the alleged events,” but the video response – until this – the same comment Brand gave regarding the allegations.
The denial appeared to be supported by X’s owner Elon Musk, who answered “Of course. They don’t like competition.” That response was given before the release of the actual report, which was published on Saturday at 4:00pm BST, or 11am US East Coast
Reporting for the long-form article began in 2019 and included interviews with “hundreds of people.” The age of those making allegations of assault and abuse against Brand is from a woman who says she first had a consensual relationship with Brand at the age of 16 (which is the age of consent in England, according to Rape Crisis England and Wales) to middle-aged workers and colleagues, all sharing details of workplace misconduct (often sexual) and coercive actions.
The story, which is currently available on The Times website, will also be the subject of the broadcast news report Russell Brand: In plain sight: put awaywhich airs Saturdays on UK Channel Four at 9pm BST.
