London, UK – Comedian and influencer Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and abuse following claims from four women who knew him for seven years during the height of his fame, three major British news organizations reported on Saturday. accusation.
Bland has denied the accusations and said all of his relationships were consensual.
The Sunday Times, The Times of London and Channel 4’s Dispatches said one woman claimed she had been raped and three others accused him of sexual assault. One of the women also said he was physically and emotionally abused.
The women said they were not ready to tell their stories until reporters contacted them, with some citing Brand’s new status as an online health influencer as a factor in their decision to speak.
Before the stories were published, Brand posted a video online denying the accusations, which were outlined in two “extremely disturbing letters” by a “mainstream media” television company and a newspaper. He did not name the news organizations.
“There are some very serious allegations made in this series of shocking and quite baroque attacks, which I absolutely refute,” he said. “These allegations relate to me working in the mainstream, when I have been in newspapers, When I was in the movie, as I write about extensively in the book, I was very, very promiscuous. ”
“During that period of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely consensual,” he added. “I was transparent about it then, almost too transparent, and I’m transparent about it now.”
Brand also said the reports were part of a coordinated attack to discredit him for his views. Brand has been criticized for expressing doubts about COVID-19 vaccines and interviewing Joe Rogan for controversial podcasts.
“Seeing transparency turn into criminal behavior, which I absolutely deny, makes me wonder if there’s another agenda at play,” Brand said.
Brand rose to prominence as a stand-up comedian in the UK in the early 2000s, using his reputation for abrasive behavior and off-color jokes to land starring roles on Channel 4 and later BBC radio.
He later entered Hollywood, starring in films such as 2008’s “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and the 2011 remake of “Arthur.” Brand was married to American pop star Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012.
In recent years, he has transformed himself into a political commentator and influencer, posting videos on YouTube about topics such as personal freedoms and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
