The Times has claimed it’s been contacted by ‘several more women’ since they published their bombshell investigation on Russell Brand on Saturday, so don’t expect this saga to be over anytime soon.
The publication reports the claims have been about ‘Brand’s behaviour since the early 2000s’, and that it will ‘rigorously check’ all the new allegations they’re receiving. Who knows, there might even be enough there to make a Dispatches part 2?
In case you missed it, here are the allegations from the original article (paywalled):
Four women have alleged sexual assaults between 2006 and 2013, while Brand was a presenter for BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4 and then an actor in Hollywood films. Others have made a range of accusations about Brand’s controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour.
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, according to medical records. Text messages show that in the hours after leaving his house, she told Brand that she had been scared by him and felt taken advantage of, adding: “When a girl say[s] NO it means no.” Brand replied saying he was “very sorry”.
A second woman alleges that Brand assaulted her when he was 31 and she was 16 and still at school. She said he referred to her as “the child” during an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship that lasted for about three months, and that Brand once “forced his penis down her throat”, making her choke. She says she tried to push him off and said she had to punch him in the stomach to make him stop.
A third woman claims that he 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 described being sexually assaulted by Brand and him being physically and emotionally abusive towards her.
The others have accused him of physical and emotional abuse, sexual harassment and bullying. Most of the women, who do not know each other, have chosen to remain anonymous.
Over the past few years, reporters have interviewed hundreds of sources who knew or worked with Brand: ex-girlfriends and their friends and family, comedians and other celebrities, people who worked with him on radio and TV, and senior staff at the BBC, Channel 4 and other media organisations.
Along with these interviews reporters have seen private emails and text messages, submitted freedom of information requests, viewed medical and therapists’ notes, scrutinised Brand’s books and interviews, and watched and listened to hundreds of hours of his shows on the BBC, Channel 4 and YouTube to corroborate allegations.
Obviously everything levelled at Brand is only “alleged” at this point, but you have to say there is an alarmingly large amount of smoke there to not be a fire somewhere, and that’s without even knowing the details of all the new allegations that are supposedly flying in following the Dispatches documentary.
It also makes you think about how Brand essentially dropped off the TV and film stuff about 10 years ago. Could it be that this was an ‘open secret’ in the industry, and he just wasn’t being hired anymore? Could explain why he went on to carve out a career on YouTube instead. Then again, maybe it was the Andrew Sachs prank call that has more to do with his TV career being killed off.
Either way, Brand is in a serious bit of bother. The Times & Channel 4 seem to have credible witnesses, text message evidence and details from a rape crisis centre all backing up their stories. Multiple accusations from various unconnected individuals all accusing Brand of similar behaviour. I would be amazed if he tries to sue for defamation, as that could make things a whole lot worse for him, but also not suing for defamation is pretty much an admission of guilt. Quite the predicament. Interesting days/weeks ahead as this story develops.
Brand’s management agency and women’s charities he was involved with have all cut ties with Brand, but not to worry – Andrew Tate is on his side. Result!
