Russell Brand latest: Met Police investigating sexual offence claims as comedian starts new Rumble live stream
Brand vehemently denies accusations of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse
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The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into sexual assault allegations made against Russell Brand.
Brand has strongly denied accusations made by four women in an investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.
On Monday evening, Met Police said they have since received a “number of allegations of sexual offences in London” as well as elsewhere in the country.
An investigation is being carried out by detectives in the Met’s Central Specialist Crime Command, led by Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy.
The announcement came within an hour of Brand presenting his live Rumble video stream, titled ARE WE BEING SILENCED!? The Battle For Free Speech!
If you have information in relation to the allegations against Russell Brand which you would like to share with The Independent’s reporting team, please email yourstories@independent.co.uk
Brand’s history of dating celebrities – and clashing with their loved ones
Russell Brand’s relationships with women have come under the spotlight as the star faces serious allegations of sexual wrongdoing.
The 48-year-old comedian and actor has since been accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013, when he was at the height of his fame working for the BBC, Channel 4 and starring in Hollywood films.
He strongly denies the allegations and insists his relationships have always been consensual.
On Monday evening, one former partner spoke out on the allegations – the granddaughter of the late Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs.
Georgina Baillie is one of a number of women with famous parents whom Brand had relationships with, while also having very public spats with their fathers.
Barney Davis reports:
Russell Brand’s history of dating celebrities – and clashing with their loved ones
Russell Brand has dated (or claimed to have dated) a number of famous daughters – at times resulting in very public spats
Watch: Brand jokes about raping a woman in resurfaced podcast interview
BBC statement on latest Brand allegation
A woman has alleged Russell Brand exposed himself to her and then laughed about it on his BBC Radio 2 show minutes later, the BBC has reported.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We’re very sorry to hear of these allegations and we will look into them. We are conducting a review to look at allegations of this nature and if the woman who has shared her story is willing to speak to us, we would be very keen to hear from her and anyone else who may have information.
“A key part of the review is to understand what complaints were made at the time, if there was knowledge of Russell Brand’s conduct while he worked on BBC radio, and what was done as a result. We will of course speak to the bureau team and anyone who was working there in 2008 as part of this.
“Further, the Director General has been very clear that some broadcasts from that period were, and are, inexcusable and totally unacceptable, and would never be aired today.”
Brand ‘exposed himself to woman then laughed about it on BBC radio’
A woman has alleged Russell Brand exposed himself to her and then laughed about it on his BBC Radio 2 show minutes later, the BBC has reported.
The woman claimed to the BBC that the incident happened in 2008 in Los Angeles when she was working in the same building as the corporation.
A mere few minutes later, Brand was recorded laughing, according to the BBC, as his co-presenter said the comedian had “showed his willy to a lady”.
Brand has vehemently denied all the allegations made against him and has maintained that all of his relationships have been consensual.
The BBC reported that, while the woman did not make a formal complaint, the corporation’s management was told of the incident in 2019 but no formal action was taken. The broadcaster has reportedly now said it will investigate the latest allegations as part of its review into Brand’s time at the BBC.
New industry standards body ‘aware harassment happening in real time’
The interim CEO of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) said that the body is aware harassment in the industry is taking place in real time.
Jen Smith told BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour: “We are aware that people are experiencing these issues in real time.
“So while progress has been made there’s still a need for this independent standards authority, there is a gap in provision and we are recognising that whilst there has been improvement, it’s still happening to people.
“My message to my colleagues across the creative industries, freelancers, right now experiencing these issues. Please go to our website you can see existing provision, we see you, we hear you… we are getting established as quickly as we can.”
Asked whether the allegations made against Brand have hastened the set up of CIISA, Ms Smith added: “We recognise that this is urgent, we are working as quickly and diligently as we can. I think it has focused the minds of industry leaders.”
CIISA is being set up to uphold and improve standards of behaviour across the creative industries. Its proposed services include a confidential advice line, a resolution mediation service and advice for individuals who are taking their concerns to the police.
The body is set to go live with its services “next year”, according to Ms Smith.
Watch: Ed Miliband defends Brand interview on 2015 campaign trail
New standards body could sanction entertainers amid Brand allegations
A new creative industry body has said that it could recommend sanctions for harmful behaviour amid the sexual assault allegations made against Russell Brand.
Brand, 48, vehemently denies the allegations that four women made in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches.
The interim CEO of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), Jen Smith, spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour about guidance the body would be able to give when it goes live.
She said: “It may be a sanction, that that person should no longer be a member of a professional body.
“It may be an educational intervention, it may be recommendations to the employer about how that person works going forward.”
The Channel 4 Dispatches programme included an allegation of rape and comments from Brand’s former personal assistant, Helen Berger, who claimed that he “always only wore his underwear” and said that she once saw him asking people to get the numbers of audience members attending his show.
Katharine McPhee responds to uproar over resurfaced Russell Brand clip
Katharine McPhee has responded after a clip of Russell Brand flirting with her on Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show in 2013 was resurfaced on social media.
Old footage of Brand has begun circulating online after the comedian was accused of rape and sexual assault by four women.
The incidents are alleged to have taken place between 2006 and 2013, when Brand was at the height of his fame and presenting on BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4.
Read more here
Katharine McPhee responds to uproar over resurfaced Russell Brand clip
‘Smash’ star appeared alongside Brand on talk show in 2013
‘Jimmy Savile police unit’ working with Met on Russell Brand allegations
A police unit established in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal is working with the Metropolitan Police to probe allegations made against comedian Russell Brand.
The 48-year-old presenter has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by four women during the height of his fame between 2006 and 2013. He has vehemently denied the claims and said that his relationships were “absolutely always consensual”.
Officers from the Hydrant Programme have now confirmed they are supporting the Met Police with their enquiries, and have urged women to come forward.
Read more here
‘Jimmy Savile police unit’ working with Met on Russell Brand allegations
The comedian is accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013
Rumble defends letting Russell Brand keep advert money and criticises ‘disturbing’ MP’s letter
Video streaming site Rumble has criticised the chair of a parliamentary committee for writing a letter asking it to suspend Russell Brand from receiving advertising revenue on its platform.
Brand has more than 1.4 million followers on Rumble and used the platform to post his pre-emptive denial video after being approached with allegations of rape, sexual harassment and abusive behaviour by news organisations.
In a statement posted on X, Rumble said its chief executive Chris Pavlovski had received an “extremely disturbing” letter from Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the culture, media, and sport committee.
Read more here
Rumble defends Russell Brand’s advert income, calls MPs a ‘cancel culture mob’
‘We don’t agree with the behaviour of many Rumble creators, but we refuse to penalise them for actions that have nothing to do with our platform’
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