Russell Brand is breaking his silence amid allegations that he sexually assaulted multiple women.
«It has been an extraordinary and distressing week and I thank you very much for your support and for questioning the information that you have been presented with,» Brand said Sept. 22 in video posted to Xformerly known as Twitter.
Brand, who denied the allegations against him for his published, social accusations through platforms, enabled by British legislation, of censoring his content.
Brand’s comments come later actor and comedian’s management company postponed the three remaining dates of Brand’s “Bipolarisation” tour in Britain on Sept. 18., 2 days after sexual assault allegations against Brand for 4 women published and televised following a joint investigation that resulted in the Channel 4 TV documentary and joint reports in The Times of London and Sunday Times newspapers.
The 4 women, who have not been named and whom NBC News has not spoken to alleged that Brand raped, sexually assaulted or abused them between 2006 and 2013.
One of the women said she had a 3-month relationship with Brand when she was 16. Another woman alleged that Brand raped her in 2012 at his Los Angeles home.
The UK Metropolitan Police Service told NBC News that it received a report of the sexual assault allegedly involving Brand that occurred in 2003 in London on Sept. 18, when the allegations are made they are reported on television and in the news.
TODAY and NBC News have not independently confirmed the year of allegations against Brand.
Brand previously declined to comment to NBC News about the allegations.
Prior to this report going public, Brand denied the allegations in the video I put on his social media accounts. The comedian and the author said at the time that all their intimate relationships are «always consensual.»
«But amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute,» Brand said.
Following the allegations, Brand’s talent agency, Tavistock Wood Management Agency, announced on Sept. 17 that they dropped Brand as client, citing an allegation made against him in 2020.
«Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him,» the agency said. “TW you have finished all professional ties to Brand.”
Where Sept. 18, The Bookseller, a British magazine that covers the publishing industry, shared a statement from Brand’s publisher, Bluebird, was pausing on all future publishing of Brand’s book “Recovery: The Workbook,” guide to overcoming ad December.
Read on to learn about the allegations against Brand.
Multiple women allege that Brand raped, sexually assaulted or abused them
Channel 4, The Times and The Sunday Times jointly investigate the allegations against Brand.
To publish reports and accompany the Channel 4 documentary, four women allege that Brand rapped, sexually assaulted or abused them between 2006 and 2013.
One woman alleged that Brand ‘groomed’ her at 16
One of Brand’s accusers, who uses her pseudonym Alice, all of the Times has been 16 years after they got stuck in a 3-month relationship s “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” hviezda, who is 31.
With 16 being the legal age of consent in the UK, the woman alleged that Brand groomed her, pressured her to perform sexual acts and raped her. Alice describes to The Times for pressure Brand from his and punxing him to the joke on an occasion.
Alice told The Times, that Brand refers to his «child» and that they are going to charge them to do everything together at school and with the women.
«Russell engaged in groomer behaviors, you can see, but I have no idea what it is, or whether he is tied up,» Alice told The Times.
Another woman said Brand raped her in the US
In addition to other accusers branches in the Channel 4, The Times and The Sunday Times investigation, which uses the name Nadia, said that Brand raped her in 2012 at the Angeles residence.
Nadia told reporters that Brand invited him to do it home after the 2 had consensual sex, but on this occasion he wanted a «friend» to join them, according to The Times.
When Nadia refused, Brand pushed her against a wall and raped her, she alleged.
One woman alleged that Brand sexually assaulted her when they worked together
One woman in the Channel 4, The Times and The Sunday Times investigation said Brand sexually assaulted her when they worked together in LA
Brand was also accused of exposing himself
Brand worked with Channel 4 from 2004 and 2007, when the alleged behavior is said to have occurred.
One Channel 4 employee, who uses his pseudonym Rachel, all the Times that the Brand will expose his penis to do it in his dressing room and make insinuations about her performing oral sex on him.
Some Channel 4 colleagues said Brand made them feel like ‘pimps’
Some Channel 4 crew members told the Times that they felt like they were working as “pimp” for Brand as he pursued members of the audience for sex, according to NBC News.
«The production company that produces the programs for Channel 4 has been acquired to investigate the allegations and report the findings soon and satisfactorily in relation to,» she said. «Channel 4 is also conducting its internal investigation, and we encourage anyone who is aware of his behavior to contact us directly.»
Episodes of «Big Brother’s Big Mouth» and «The Great British Bake Off» organizers Brand has been removed from Channel 4’s streaming service.
Some events allegedly happened while Brand worked for the BBC
Some events the accusers describe allegedly happened while Brand worked as host and presenter for the BBC from 2006 to 2008.
The BBC said in a statement that it is «urgently looking into the issues raised» by the reports.
«Russell Brand works for a number of different organizations of which the BBC is one,» the statement read. «So it’s earned, Russell Brand arrives at the BBC for a serious editorial breach in 2008 — I gave him the controller of Radio 2. The circumstances of the breach are reviewed in detail in time. We hope that demonstrates that the BBC issues seriously and is prepared to act.”
The UK Metropolitan Police Service received a report of an alleged 2003 assault
The UK Metropolitan Police Service told NBC News that they received a report of an alleged assault against Brand on Sept. 17, day after the investigation’s publication and documentary that also aired Saturday.
The alleged assault occurred in London’s Soho neighborhood in 2003, agreed to the police department.
«We continue to encourage anyone who believes they have never been a victim of sexual offense, no matter how long ago it was, contact us,» Metropolitan Police Service said.
What has Brand said about the allegations?
In the video denying the allegations published on his social media account, Brand said the allegations extend during his mainstream fame to the actors who have said «very, very promiscuous.»
The relationships he had at the time “were absolutely always consensual,” he added.
The comedy, which will feature the pop star Katy Perry from 2010 until 2012, suggests that the reports may be part of a campaign to discredit the scholarship of its unorthodox views.
Brand has been criticized for interviewing controversial media personalities including Joe Rogan and for expressing doubts about COVID-19 vaccines.
«It’s been clear to me, or at least it feels to me, like there’s a serious and concerted agenda to control the parts of places and the things of voices, and I’ve said mine along s your voice,» he said.
In his second video, shared Sept. 22, Brand said the Online Safety Bill, which requires companies to take down illegal content, grants «sweeping surveillance and censorship powers.» Britain’s Parliament signed off on it Sept. 19.
According to NBC News, Brand’s video eats after YouTube blocked him from making money from his channel and the BBC polled some content from its online streaming service. Additionally, a leader of the British Parliament’s Media and Sport Committee to contact Rumble — the site Brand is not used to host its platform — s concerns that he will make a profit off it.
In a statement, according to NBC News, Rumble said he would refuse to «join a cancel culture mob.»
