Russell Brand speaks out to deny ‘most appalling’ rape allegations

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Russell Brand has denied the “very, very hurtful” allegations of rape, sexual assault and abusive behaviour levelled against him.

Complaints against the 48-year-old comedian and Hollywood actor have been made to the BBC and Metropolitan Police after a Channel 4 Dispatches and Sunday Times investigation in September revealed accusations by four women of rape, sexual assault and abuse between 2006 and 2013.

In an interview with former Fox News broadcaster Tucker Carlson, Brand said it was “very, very painful” to be accused of “the most appalling crimes”.

The journalistic investigation, which dominated headlines across the world, was published while his then 12-week-old son was undergoing heart surgery, Brand also said.

“I suppose what that did is it revealed that what we were experiencing was a public concoction,” said the Get Him To The Greek actor. “I am aware that I put myself in an extremely vulnerable position by being very, very promiscuous. That is not the kind of conduct that I endorse, and it’s certainly not how I would live now.

“I’ve been shown a good many things, as a result of these events – the value of my family, the value of friendship, the value of being able to speak publicly.

“I mentioned my son because throughout it I was able to maintain what is really important in life ... hurtful as it is to be accused of what I consider to be the most appalling crimes, to be accused of this is very, very painful, and very hurtful.”

He added: “But I am being shown that there are consequences for the rather foolish way that I lived in the past – although of course again to reiterate, due to the nature of the world we live, of course I deny any allegations of the kind that have been advanced.”

According to the investigation published in September, Brand allegedly entered a relationship with one of the women when he was 31 and she was aged 16. 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.”

She claims that he sexually assaulted her at his home just before their relationship ended.

Another woman is said to have received treatment at a rape crisis centre after she claims she was raped by Brand. The Times said she later texted him to say “When a girl say[s] NO it means no” after the alleged attack, and that Brand sent a text back in apology.

The third complainant is said to have claimed Brand assaulted her in Los Angeles, with the star then threatening legal action if she took her case further. The Times reported that Brand was “physically and emotionally abusive” towards the fourth complainant.

The allegations also included controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour, which he denies.

In November, the BBC and Channel 4 provided updates on their internal investigations into Brand’s time at 6 Music and BBC Radio 2 from 2006 to 2008. He had also been involved in Big Brother’s Efourum and Big Brother’s Big Mouth, between 2006 and 2013, along with other shows commissioned on Channel 4.

In November, Channel 4 boss Alex Mahon said the company’s internal investigation was weeks away from completion. That same month, the BBC said that there had been numerous complaints made to the corporation about Brand’s time working there.

Last month, Scotland Yard said a man in his 40s had been interviewed under caution at a south London police station over six allegations of “non-recent sexual offences”, following questioning in November over three other claims.

One of Brand’s accusers previously described his response to the allegations as “insulting”, telling BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour: “It’s laughable that he would even imply that this is some kind of mainstream media conspiracy. He’s not outside the mainstream – he did a Universal Pictures movie last year, he did Minions, a children’s movie.

“He is very much part of the mainstream media, he just happens to have a YouTube channel where he talks about conspiracy theories to an audience that laps it up.”