Russell Brand postpones all tour dates as ex-Channel 4 editor calls allegations ‘MeToo’ moment for TV – The Independent

Russell Brand has 6.61 million subscribers on YouTube, about the same number as before the latest allegations of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse became public.

This is a fairly large audience – a little bigger, for example, than the more wholesome Ant and Dec can attract on ITV on a Saturday night – and one that clearly wasn’t all that put off by the claims about it to the point of making the effort to unsubscribe. Google (listed as Alphabet Inc), owner of YouTube, has also not seen fit to “cancel” Brand, which is expected to bring them (and themselves) substantial revenue.

As was evident the same night the story broke, Brand was still capable of filling a theater, even if his performance would have been distracting. His fans, misguided or not, remain loyal to him, with most noting that he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law – that is, beyond a reasonable doubt and setting the bar relatively high before withdrawing their adulation.

Scandalized comedian. Hollywood husband. Addict turned wellness guru. Left-wing activist. Conspiracy theorist. During his two decades in the spotlight, British stand-up and presenter Russell Brand introduced audiences to many different characters. Now, another darker side of the comic has come to light, as he has been accused of rape, sexual assault and psychological abuse against four women.

Brand posted a video on Saturday, September 17 before the allegations were made public to deny the “serious criminal allegations,” which he said were linked to his “promiscuous” past.

The 48-year-old comedian and actor said he “absolutely refutes” the claims and suggested two “major media outlets” were carrying out a “coordinated” attack on him. Later that day, a joint Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches investigation was published, revealing the allegations against him.

The allegations against Russell Brand are “one of the MeToo moments for television”, the former Channel 4 editor has said.

Dorothy Byrne told Channel 4 News: “Historically there has been a culture on television of accepting the appalling behavior of certain men on the grounds that they are so-called stars.”

MP Dame Maria Miller, former culture secretary and women’s minister, suggested non-disclosure agreements should be banned in the entertainment industry if they have been used to silence people about incidents alleged allegations involving Russell Brand.

She told Sky News’ Politics Hub that the organizations involved would need to provide “an explanation as to why they did not have practices in place for people who wanted to speak out”.

“I think they need to be held accountable for how they treat their staff,” she said.

“I also want to expand on some of the comments that were made over the weekend that people did not yet feel able to speak out about these cases, and in particular the comments from the BBC and the talent company which made me feel that perhaps non-disclosure agreements were used, which could lead to silencing people over things that are now clearly issues that could constitute criminal allegations.

When asked whether the use of NDAs should be scrutinized, she said: “We have seen not only in this case, but in other cases, where media organizations have routinely… used standard confidentiality provisions of the industry in the contracts they use when they use contracts. people are victims of illegal wrongdoing at work. I hope that is not the case here, but if it is, I hope it will spur the government into action.

She added: “Steps have been taken to end the use of NDAs in universities and perhaps this case with Russell Brand, if there are non-disclosure agreements in place, would indicate that we need to take the same measures to prohibit their use in… the entertainment industry. Also.”

Russell Brand’s publisher has announced it is “pausing” all future book projects with the comedian after sexual assault allegations were made against him.

Bluebird, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, has published Brand’s titles, including Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions and Mentors: How To Help And Be Helped, in recent years.

In a statement to the PA news agency, the company said: “These are very serious allegations and in light of them, Bluebird has taken the decision to suspend any future publications with Russell Brand. »

An upcoming title, Recovery: The Workbook, by the 48-year-old actor and presenter was due to be published by Bluebird in December 2025, according to the company’s website.

“Why are they even talking about this now? » “Why didn’t they report it to the police?” “Did they provoke it themselves?” “Are they doing it for the money?” “Is this all just a plan to bring down another successful man?”

It doesn’t matter whether it’s the President of the United States, a comedian, or someone’s brother-in-law: when women speak out about alleged male violence, we hear the same predictable responses.

Even before the sexual assault and rape allegations were shared by the Sunday Times, thousands of people took to social media to criticize the women, calling them liars, attention seekers, fame seekers. , mentally ill people… and even government plants.

Anything but telling the truth.

Shortly after the release of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” Kristen Bell told interviewers that she had to “bully” her co-star Russell Brand to make sure he understood that she wasn’t interested in a sexual relationship with him during filming.

Her memories of her time with the British actor and comedian have been unearthed following allegations he raped and sexually assaulted a number of women at the height of his fame.

A joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches has uncovered the stories of four women – including one who was a minor at the time – who claim Brand raped or sexually assaulted them between 2006 and 2013. Brand denied the information. allegations.

Katy Perry’s short-lived relationship with Russell Brand made headlines when the seemingly unlikely couple was first linked in 2009 — and even more so when they split just 14 months after their wedding.

The 48-year-old British comedian was accused of rape, sexual assault and psychological abuse at the height of his fame by four women. The claims were made as part of a joint investigation by the Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

Brand has strongly denied all the “very serious allegations” made against him, dating back between 2006 and 2013, and insisted his past relationships have been “absolutely always consensual.”

Perry, 38, has not responded to the allegations against her estranged husband. However, she has spoken in the past about the circumstances surrounding her split from Brand and previously revealed that he ended their relationship via text message.

Katie Rosseinsky reports: