Russell Brand: Police launch investigation after receiving ‘number of allegations of sexual assault’
Police have launched an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Russell Brand, which were made following an explosive Channel 4 documentary.
On Monday, police said they had since received “a number of allegations of sexual offenses in London” and elsewhere in the country.
A joint investigation follows The times, The Sunday Timesand Channel 4 broadcastswhich highlighted the stories of four women – including one who was 16 at the time – who claim Brand either raped or sexually abused them between 2006 and 2013.
Police have launched an investigation into comedian Russell Brand after multiple allegations of sexual harassment were made against him
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Brand has vehemently denied all allegations and insisted his previous relationships were always consensual.
The Met had previously said it had received an allegation of sexual assault in Soho, central London, in 2003, which emerged during his remaining live shows Bipolarization Tour has been postponed.
The investigation is being carried out by detectives from the Met’s Central Specialist Crime Command, led by Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy.
Det Supt Furphy said: “We continue to encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of a sexual offense, no matter how long ago it was, to contact us.”
“We understand that it may be a difficult step and I would like to reassure that we have a team of professionals available to advise and support us.”
There have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing. Police said they would offer specialist support to any women who have made allegations.
Brand has firmly denied all allegations against him
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On Saturday, Brand thanked his supporters for “challenging” the allegations of rape and sexual assault made against him.
In the three-minute clip posted to YouTube, Rumble and Twitter/X, he said the week since the claims were made public had been “extraordinary and disturbing.”
Shortly after the Met issued its brief statement on Monday, Brand returned to his regular Rumble show for the first time since the allegations against him.
Brand said he would talk about the “collusion between Big Tech and the government and an apparent concerted effort by the legacy media… to silence independent media voices.”
“Of course, given the events of last week, it is difficult for me to be completely objective, but we have to try,” he said.
Brand said he would return to his regular show on Rumble – an online video platform that refused to follow YouTube and block the comedian from earning advertising revenue on its site. He described the streaming site as a “clear commitment to free expression.”
Anyone wishing to report a crime to the police should contact the Met on 101.
