In a shocking turn of events, British comedian and social influencer Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and abuse by four women who claim to have known him over a span of seven years during the peak of his fame. The allegations were brought to light by three prominent British news organizations - The Sunday Times, The Times of London, and Channel 4's "Dispatches." According to the reports, one woman alleges that she was raped by Brand, while the other three accuse him of sexual assault. Additionally, one of the women claims that Brand was physically and emotionally abusive towards her.

Brand, however, vehemently denies all the allegations made against him and insists that all his relationships have always been consensual. In a video posted online before the stories broke, Brand condemned the accusations outlined in two "extremely disturbing letters" he received from a mainstream media television company and a newspaper. Although he refrained from naming the organizations involved, he expressed his disbelief and questioned whether there was an ulterior motive behind the coordinated attack on his reputation.

The comedian also suggested that the timing of the allegations might be linked to his recent transformation into a political commentator and influencer, where he has expressed skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines and interviewed controversial figures like Joe Rogan. Brand believes that these newly surfaced allegations are an attempt to silence his alternative views and discredit him in the public eye.

Russell Brand rose to fame initially as a stand-up comic in Britain during the early 2000s. His success led to prominent roles on Channel 4 and later BBC Radio, where he capitalized on his reputation for outrageous behavior and risque banter. Brand then made a successful transition to Hollywood, appearing in movies such as "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" in 2008 and the 2011 remake of "Arthur." Notably, he was married to American pop star Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012.

In recent years, Brand has undergone a significant transformation, becoming a political commentator and influencer who posts YouTube videos covering topics such as personal freedom and the COVID-19 pandemic. His expansion into the anti-mainstream space, including the growth of his podcast "Stay Free with Russell Brand," has garnered attention and attracted a dedicated following. However, Brand now believes that this shift in his career may have made him a target for those seeking to suppress his alternative voice.

While the allegations against Brand have not been independently verified by NBC, he has raised doubts about the credibility of The Sunday Times, The Times of London, and Channel 4. He alleges that these news outlets have worked closely together in a coordinated attack against him. Brand even claims to have witnesses whose testimony contradicts the narratives being constructed by the media organizations but does not disclose their identities in his video statement.

The severity of the accusations has prompted Channel 4, The Times, and The Sunday Times to air a special program titled "Russell Brand: In Plain Sight." The show features interviews with five women who allege that Brand raped, sexually assaulted, or abused them. Notably, one woman divulges that she had a three-month relationship with Brand when she was 16 years old, the age of consent in the United Kingdom. However, she claims that Brand groomed and raped her during this time. The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, spoke to The Times about her experiences, stating that Brand engaged in the manipulative behaviors typical of a groomer.

As this scandal continues to unfold, Brand's lawyer has declined to comment on the allegations. However, the comedian remains resolute in his denial of any wrongdoing. "We are obviously going to look into this matter because it's very, very serious," Brand said in his video response. He concluded by urging his followers to stay attentive and independent in their thinking, emphasizing the importance of freedom.

The gravity of these allegations against Russell Brand is sure to have far-reaching consequences, not only for his personal reputation but also for the wider entertainment industry. As the investigation progresses, the truth behind these claims will undoubtedly come to light, leaving an indelible mark on the comedian's career.

Russell Brand appeared on stage Satruday for the first time since he was accused of rape, sexual assault and abuse by multiple women.

The 48-year-old comedian, actor and social influencer performed at a sold-out stand-up show at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in northwest London as part of his Bipolarisation tour.

After arriving late due to traffic, Brand thanked his fans for showing up and said there were certain topics he couldn't discuss, alluding to the allegations, BBC News reported.

"I really appreciate your support, I love you, and I want to do a fantastic show for you," he told the crowd of 2,000 people. "I've got a lot of things to talk to you about. There are obviously some things that I absolutely cannot talk about, and I appreciate that you will understand."

His appearance came hours after three British news organizations reported that Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and abuse based on allegations from four women who knew him for over seven years at the height of his fame.

The Sunday Times, The Times of London and Channel 4's “Dispatches” said that one woman alleged she had been raped and three others accused him of sexual assault. One of the women also said he had been physically and emotionally abusive.

Before the stories were published, Brand denied the allegations and said that all of his relationships have been consensual.

 ..... 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 have written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous."

"Now during that time of promiscuity the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual," he added. "I was always transparent about that then, almost too transparent, and I am being transparent about it now as well."

Brand also suggested that the reports were part of a coordinated attack designed to discredit him because of his views. Brand has been criticized for expressing skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines and interviewing contentious podcasters like Joe Rogan.

On Sunday, the BBC, Channel 4 and a production firm said they would be investigating the allegations that took place during Brand's time as a presenter on BBC Radio's 6 Music and Radio 2, and as a host for shows on Channel 4.

The BBC said it was "urgently looking into the issues raised," and Channel 4 announced an internal investigation.

While none of the alleged assaults were said to have taken place on BBC or Channel 4 premises, there have been multiple claims about Brand's workplace behavior, the BBC reported.

London's Metropolitan Police on Sunday said it was aware of news reports about a series of sexual assault allegations but had not directly received any reports relating to the allegations.

"If anyone believes they have been the victim of a sexual assault, no matter how long ago it happened, we would encourage them to contact police," Metropolitan Police communications officer Callum Jones said, adding that the department was in touch with the Sunday Times and Channel 4.

Also on Sunday, the talent agency Tavistock Wood said it had terminated all ties with Brand.

"Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him," the agency said in a statement.

Brand rose to fame as a stand-up comic in Britain in the early 2000s, earning starring roles on Channel 4 and BBC Radio, where he capitalized on his reputation for outrageous behavior and risque banter.

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The women said that they only felt ready to tell their stories after being approached by reporters, with some citing Brand's newfound prominence as an online wellness influencer as a factor in their decision to speak.

 ..... He didn't identify the news organizations by name.

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"To see that transparency metastasized into something criminal, that I absolutely deny, makes me question is there another agenda at play," Brand said.

 ..... Brand was married to U.S. pop star Katy Perry from 2010-2012.

In recent years, he transformed himself into a political commentator and influencer posting YouTube videos on subjects such as personal freedom and the COVID-19 pandemic.

London - Police in London on Monday said they had received a report of alleged sexual assault after media revelations about the British comedian and actor Russell Brand. A joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 television on Saturday published claims from four women of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse against Brand.

Brand, 48, strongly denied the allegations, stemming from incidents which are said to have taken place between 2006 and 2013, in a video statement released Friday night.

He maintained that his relationships have always been "consensual," even during a period when he admitted being "very, very promiscuous."

The Times and Sunday Times on Monday said more women had come forward to make claims about his behavior in the early 2000s, without giving further details.

The revelations come amid criticism of how sexual assault cases are handled in the criminal justice system in the U.K., as well as how media organizations have handled similar accusations of inappropriate behavior by big-name stars. One of the organizations hit hardest by such allegations has been the Metropolitan Police itself, after a serving officer was convicted of the 2021 rape and murder of a young woman in London.

In a short statement, the Metropolitan Police said: "On Sunday September 17, the Met received a report of a sexual assault which was alleged to have taken place in Soho in central London in 2003," adding that police were "in contact with the woman and will be providing her with support."

The force said it had been in touch with the newspapers and the documentary makers at Channel 4 "to ensure that anyone who believes they have been the victim of a sexual offense is aware of how to report this to the police."

Brand's former employers the BBC and Channel 4, as well as a production company, have launched their own investigations into the claims.

According to the newspapers and the documentary, Brand allegedly raped one woman in his Los Angeles home. Another claims that he assaulted her during a three-month relationship when she was 16 and still at school.

Brand became known internationally as the former husband of pop star Katy Perry after forging a career as a stand-up comedian, with near-the-knuckle routines, often about drugs and sex.

He presented on television reality shows and played rock star Aldous Snow in the 2008 film "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," and its 2010 sequel "Get Him to the Greek."

In recent years he has become a prominent conspiracy theorist, using his YouTube channel to question the COVID-19 pandemic to his nearly seven million followers. He has argued that the global pandemic was a cover-up by the global elite to enforce radical social change.

YouTube suspended the comedian and actor Russell Brand on Tuesday from making money from videos posted to the social media platform, three days after British news organizations published an investigation in which several women accused Mr. Brand of sexual assault.

The channel is a potentially significant source of income for Mr. Brand, who was earning money through advertisements and paid promotions.

A spokeswoman for YouTube said in an email that Mr. Brand, whose channel on the platform has 6.6 million subscribers, was suspended for violating YouTube's " creator responsibility policy."

"If a creator's off-platform behavior harms our users, employees or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community," the spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman did not respond to an inquiry about how long the suspension would last.

Mr. Brand on Friday posted a clip to his channel denying what he called "serious criminal allegations." That statement was released the day before The Times of London and Sunday Times of London newspapers, and Dispatches, a TV program, published their joint investigation in which four women accused Mr. Brand of sexual assault, including one accusation of rape.

Mr. Brand once was a TV and radio star in Britain and in 2007 published a best-selling memoir. He had a brief Hollywood career that included a role in the 2008 rom-com "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," but he has lately pivoted to making online videos, running wellness events and touring comedy shows.

While Mr. Brand's earlier stand-up routines had a broadly left-wing focus, skewering the British establishment and examining subjects like social inequality, he has recently shifted to content more aligned with conservative talking points, often seeming to target an American audience. On YouTube, recent videos have included Mr. Brand discussing his skepticism toward Covid-19 vaccines and dissecting his own appearances on Fox News.

Mr. ..... 

The comedian Russell Brand denied "serious criminal allegations" against him in a video he posted shortly before three British news organizations published an investigation Saturday in which four women accused him of sexual assault.

The investigation was a collaboration by The Sunday Times and The Times of London newspapers, and Channel 4 Dispatches, a television program that broadcast a documentary about the allegations on Saturday. They reported that the women had accused him of sexual assault in a series of incidents between 2006 and 2013.

Mr. Brand, an actor and former TV host who has more recently built a significant following on his YouTube channel, where he often opines on wellness and interviews prominent conservative figures, released a short video on social media on Friday in which he said he had received notes from media organizations listing "a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks."

 ..... Brand said in the video, going on to say that while he has spoken previously about a "time of promiscuity" in his life, the encounters during that time were "always consensual."

His literary agency, Tavistock Wood, announced this weekend that it had cut ties with him, saying in a statement that it believed it had been "horribly misled" by him when he denied an allegation in 2020.

The allegations were published as the comedian, 48, was on a short stand-up tour. At a show in northwest London on Saturday night, he opened the evening with an oblique reference to the accusations.

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In the investigation, one woman accused Mr. Brand of raping her against a wall in his Los Angeles home in 2012. The news organizations said that the woman had provided medical records confirming that she had been treated at a rape crisis center. Another woman accused him of forcing her to perform oral sex on him when she was 16, despite her pushing him away.

In his video, Mr. Brand did not address the specifics of the accusations by the four women, three of whom were not identified in the reports. He said there were "witnesses whose evidence directly contradicts the narratives" that had been put forward to him by the news organizations, but according to the article, a lawyer for Mr. Brand did not respond to an inquiry about providing such evidence, nor did a legal representative respond to a request for comment on the specific allegations.

Known for raunchy, boundary-pushing humor that has gotten him in trouble at times, Mr. Brand's fame grew in Britain in the 2000s with a one-man show about his heroin addiction, and then as a BBC radio and Channel 4 television host. He broke into American pop culture with a prominent role in the rom-com "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" in 2008 and a remake of “Arthur” in 2011, and was briefly married to the pop star Katy Perry.

Now, Mr. Brand's commentary on his YouTube channel, which has 6.6 million followers, tends to revolve around health, spirituality, so-called woke culture and free speech, and his guests have included Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, Tucker Carlson and the conservative commentator Candace Owens. In his video on Friday, he accused the "mainstream media" of launching what he called a "coordinated attack" against him. Elon Musk responded to Mr. Brand's post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, writing : "Of course. They don't like competition."

Mr. Brand has spoken about and written extensively about battling addictions to drugs, alcohol and sex, writing in his memoir that he was treated for a sex addiction in 2005.

Alex Marshall contributed reporting from London.

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In a video posted to his social media accounts, Brand denied the allegations and said his relationships have all been consensual. He said he received "extremely disturbing" communications from a mainstream TV company and a newspaper "listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks."

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An attorney for Brand declined to comment on the allegations.

The comedian went on to say that the allegations stem from a time during the height of his mainstream fame when he was transparently "very, very promiscuous," adding that all the relationships he had at the time "were absolutely always consensual."

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NBC has not independently confirmed any of the allegations against Brand.

Brand expressed that he feels his expansion in recent years in the anti-mainstream space, including the growth of his "Stay Free with Russell Brand" podcast where he explores "the ulterior truth behind our constructed reality," may be a reason behind these recently surfaced allegations.

"It's been clear to me, or at least it feels to me, like there's a serious and concerted agenda to control these kinds of spaces and these kind of voices, and I mean my voice along with your voice," he told his audience.

The comedian also accused The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 of working closely together to construct "a coordinated attack" against him. He also mentioned that there are witnesses "whose evidence directly contradicts the narratives that these two mainstream media outlets are trying to construct." Brand does not elaborate or identify who these witnesses are in his video.

The Sunday Times asked Brand's lawyer for the evidence he referred to but no answer was provided.

 ..... In the meantime, I want you to stay close, stay awake, but more important than any of that, if you can, please, stay free."

Channel 4, The Times and The Sunday Times are airing a special on Saturday entitled "Russel Brand: In Plain Sight. ..... 

One of the women alleges she had a three-month relationship with Brand when she was 16, according to The Times. Although that is the age of consent in the United Kingdom, she claims Brand groomed and raped her.

"Russell engaged in the behaviours of a groomer, looking back, but I didn't even know what that was then, or what that looked like," the woman, who is not being identified, told The Times.

NBC News reached out to The Times. The publication did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to a joint investigation by several U.K. outlets, Brand sexually assaulted four women between 2006 and 2013.

The online video platform announced Tuesday that it had suspended monetization for Brand's channel, citing the creator's "off-platform behavior" violating YouTube policy.

The site's decision prevents Brand from earning revenue that comes from advertisements embedded in YouTube videos, the main way content creators make money on the platform.

Brand has a large following on the platform, with more than 6 million subscribers. His videos, most of which consist of critiquing government and corporate power structures, bias in the media, and encouraging users to embrace critical thinking when it comes to mainstream news stories, routinely earn millions of views.

YouTube's decision cuts off a key source of income for the creator, after "his publisher, management agency and charities severed ties over the allegations," Forbes reported on Tuesday.

The platform made the call after four women accused Brand of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013. The claims went public following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches.

In a video Brand posted to his YouTube channel last Friday, the comedian insisted that his relationships with these women were “consensual” and called the claims "very serious criminal allegations."

He blasted the allegations as a "litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks" against himself.

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In its official statement about demonetizing Brand, YouTube stated, "We have suspended monetization on Russell Brand's channel for violating our creator responsibility policy. ..... 

The site confirmed that the decision happened "following serious allegations against the creator. This action means the channel is no longer able to monetize on YouTube."

Since the allegations were reported, Brand has "lost his book deal with Pan Macmillan, been dropped by his management agency and had dates for his 'Bipolarisation' tour postponed and charities have cut ties with the star," Forbes added.

Multiple streaming platforms have moved to drop content featuring Brand since the allegations. BBC confirmed to The Daily Mail Tuesday that it had removed clips featuring Brand from its platforms, iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

U.K.'s Channel 4 has removed episodes featuring Brand from its streaming service as well. A spokesperson for the network told The DailyMail, "We have taken down content featuring Russell Brand from our streaming service while we look into this matter. This includes the Celebrity Bake Off episode."

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