Russell Brand news: Comedian accused of rape and sexual assault of four women

The comedian and actor said he “absolutely refutes” the allegations against him, which he did not reveal in detail but referred to as “very, very serious criminal allegations”.

Brand, 48, said the allegations “pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when… I was very, very promiscuous.”

The comedian, actor and presenter is believed to be the subject of a forthcoming newspaper investigation and Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, which is set to air on Saturday 16 September at 9pm.

Ahead of the documentary, here’s a timeline of Brand’s career and controversies, from his early days as a comedian through to today.

Russell Brand allegedly had a three-month relationship with a 16-year-old girl while he was an adult aged 30, it has been claimed.

At the time, he was a BBC radio presenter and had met the schoolgirl while she was shopping in Topshop before inviting her on a date.

She told The Sunday Times that he referred to her as “the child” and became increasingly controlling, with his management aware that he had a teenage girlfriend.

On their first date, she claims he asked her to confirm if she was 16 and said: “I don’t give a f*** if you’re 12 . . . I need to know where I stand legally.”

He allegedly provided her with “scripts” on deceiving her parents, and told her not to trust her friends.

She claims that he sexually assaulted her at his home before their relationship ended after she discovered him in bed with another woman.

Brand has denied all allegations made by The Sunday Times and said that his relationships were “absolutely always consensual”.

The comedian Russell Brand has been accused of raping and sexually abusing four women during the height of his fame.

The 48-year-old has denied the allegations following an investigation by The Sunday Times.

Four women have alleged sexual assaults betwen 2006 and 2013, while others have accused him of controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, by now you’ll have heard about the latest “bombshell” MeToo revelations targeting none other than self-confessed former “lothario” and sex addict Russell Brand.

For serious allegations to come out about a well-known male comedian – it’s big. It’s shocking. But surprising? Not so much.

Victoria Richards has more

Brand’s sister-in-law Kirsty Gallacher has backed him after reposted his two minute video denying “very serious criminal allegations made against him”.

Ms Gallacher, 47, is the older sister of Brand’s wife Laura. The Smooth Radio presenter shared the video on Instagram with a large red love heart ahead of a Channel 4 programme this evening.

The allegations, which have not yet been revealed, are set to be explored in a documentary on Saturday and published in a newspaper.

Brand shared the three-minute video on his YouTube channel and X (formerly Twitter), the social media company owned by Musk.

Read more about Musk’s response here

Comedian Russell Brand’s released a video to social media denying “criminal allegations” that are due to be published this evening by two mainstream media outlets.

Scandal-ridden comedian. Hollywood husband. Drug addict-turned-wellness-guru. Left-wing activist. Conspiracy theorist. Over the course of two decades in the spotlight, the British stand-up and presenter Russell Brand has put forward many different personas to the public.

Read more from Katie Rosseinsky here