Four women who knew comedian and social influencer Russell Brand during a seven-year span at the height of his success have reportedly accused him of rape, sexual assault, and abuse, according to three British news organizations on Saturday.
Brand refuted the accusations and insisted that every one of his relationships had been mutually beneficial.
The Sunday Times, The Times of London, and Channel 4’s “Dispatches” reported that three women accused him of sexual assault, while one lady said she had been raped. He had allegedly been verbally and physically aggressive, according to one of the ladies.
When approached by journalists, the ladies stated they only felt ready to share their stories; some of them cited Brand’s rising notoriety as an online wellness influencer as a motivating factor.
Before the articles appeared, Brand released a video debunking the claims made in two “extremely disturbing letters” from a newspaper and a “mainstream media” television network. He didn’t mention the names of the news outlets.
“Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute,” he said. “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 added that the claims were a part of a coordinated effort to malign him for his opinions. Brand has been under fire for speaking out against the COVID-19 vaccine and speaking with divisive podcasters like Joe Rogan.
“To see that transparency metastasized into something criminal, that I absolutely deny, makes me question is there another agenda at play,” Brand said.
In the early 2000s, Brand gained notoriety in Britain as a stand-up comedian, which led to leading parts on Channel 4 and then BBC Radio, where he benefited from a reputation for provocative conduct and suggestive banter.
Later, he made the transition to Hollywood, making appearances in movies including “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” in 2008 and the 2011 version of “Arthur.” From 2010 until 2012, Brand was wed to American music artist Katy Perry.
He evolved become a political analyst and influencer in recent years, publishing YouTube videos on issues like individual liberties and the COVID-19 pandemic.
