Latest news with #BigBrother
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault and indecent assault against four women
Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of multiple alleged sex attacks, including an alleged rape at the Labour Party conference. The US-based comedian has denied the allegations of rape, indecent assault and sexual assault at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court today. The incidents, alleged by four women, are said to occurred between 1999 and 2005. He will stand trial over the charges next year, with a trial beginning June 3 2026 that is set to last four to five weeks. The star wore an open black and white pinstripe shirt and several pendants, including two crosses, as he walked into the court ahead of his plea hearing this morning. He was clutching a prayer book called The Valley of Vision in his right hand. The presenter is accused of raping a woman in a hotel in 1999 after they met that day at a theatrical event following the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth. Brand is also alleged to have raped a woman working in television whom he met in a Soho bar in 2004. He is accused of grabbing her breasts before pulling the victim into a toilet and forcing her to perform a sex act. Another woman claims she was indecently assaulted by Brand, who grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her into a male lavatory at a television station in 2001. Brand was working for Channel 4 on Big Brother's Big Mouth between 2004 and 2005 when he is said to have carried out the final assault on a radio station worker. The comedian arrived at the court shortly before 10am in a black Mercedes Benz, with a media scrum of photographers and broadcasters capturing his every move. He said nothing to the photographers and journalists gathered outside the court as he emerged from the car, some of whom called out his name. And he looked straight ahead as he walked up the steps inside, alongside lawyer Oliver Schneider-Sikorsky. Mr Schneider-Sikorsky successfully defended Kevin Spacey against sex assault allegations in 2023. Brand was flanked by two court officers in the dock as Judge Tony Baumgartner reminded the court that the four complainants in this case have automatic lifelong anonymity as the alleged victims of sexual offences. After confirming his identity, the Florida-based star stood with his hands clasped behind his back as he loudly responded 'not guilty' to each charge read to him. Before ending the hearing, Judge Tony Baumgartner reminded Brand that any failure to attend his scheduled trial could result in custody or be deemed a separate offence. Brand remains on bail with conditions to provide his UK and US addresses to the court and to notify the court of any change in address. Once the ten minute hearing had concluded, Brand slowly reached down for his sunglasses and placed them back over his eyes. The door to the dock was opened for him and he stared straight ahead as he walked slowly past the packed press bench. The court had previously heard that some of the alleged victims will give evidence behind a screen. Brand then left court around half an hour after the hearing ended - walking to the waiting Mercedes without saying a word to reporters and members of the public who called out to him. One was heard to ask: 'Russell, what do you think of the court case?' The charges came following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme in September 2023 in which several women accused him of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse, which he denied. When he was charged, Brand addressed his 11.3million followers on X saying he was 'never a rapist'. The married father-of-three, was once one of the most popular comedy stars on Channel 4. In recent years, has reinvented himself as an anti-woke political podcaster amassing millions of online followers on the alternative video platform Rumble. He has also converted to Christianity, and was seen being baptised in the River Thames by TV presenter and adventurer Bear Grylls.
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Bianca Umali jokes that she can clean Bahay ni Kuya: 'Tawagan niyo lang po ako'
Bianca Umali is beaming with gratitude for her time as a house guest on "Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition." The Kapuso Prime Gem posted an Instagram Reel of her time in the Bahay ni Kuya and called it "such a magical experience." In her caption, Bianca said, "Inside this house, I got to express a part of my love language—CLEANING, chose to show my true self, made new friends and to top it all off, through Big Brother, I was able to make my mommy's dream come true." She added, "Habambuhay nakatanim sa puso at isip ko po ang masayang adventure na pinagdaanan ko po dito." Bianca also joked that she could clean Bahay ni Kuya, referencing her viral moment. "Ehem Kuya, kapag po kailangan niyo ulit ng tagalinis—willing po ako ha? Wala pong kaso na bumalik ako para tumulong po na alagaan ang mga kaibigan ko po [diyan] sa loob. Tawagan niyo lang po ako. I'll be by your doorstep in no time," Bianca said. "From 'tagapangalaga ng brilyante' to 'tagapaglinis ng bahay' real quick!" she added. "Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition" airs new episodes on GMA Network at 10 p.m. on weekdays and 6:15 p.m. on weekends. Meanwhile, Bianca is set to star in "Sang'gre", which will air on GMA Prime beginning on June 16. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comedian Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault charges
British comedian and actor Russell Brand pleaded not guilty Friday at a London criminal court to five charges of sexual offences including rape and sexual assault. The media personality turned anti-establishment influencer faces one count of rape, one of oral rape, two of sexual assault and one of indecent assault between 1999 and 2005, involving four women. Crowds were waiting as Brand, 49, arrived at Southwark Crown Court in an open-buttoned shirt and dark blazer for the plea hearing, after being granted conditional bail at a previous hearing. He gained international recognition as the husband of pop star Katy Perry, but is better known in the UK for his hyper-sexualised and often lewd comedy routines and TV and radio appearances in the early 2000s. Now living partly in the US, Brand appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London earlier this month, where he showed no emotion as a prosecutor read out allegations against him. On Friday Brand appeared in the dock flanked by two officers, where he stood stock-still and looked straight ahead as he delivered his pleas. He is now due to stand trial next year, on June 3, 2026. Prosecutors charged Brand following a police probe into allegations aired in a 2003 Channel 4 documentary. He is accused of raping one woman in a hotel room following an event in the southern Bournemouth area in 1999. Another charge relates to the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in central London. The accusations involve four women, including one who was a TV worker, and another who was a radio station worker at the time of the alleged assaults. In a video response on X after he was charged in April, Brand said he was "grateful" for the "opportunity" to defend himself. - Conservative guru - "I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile, but what I never was was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity," he said in the video. Born in 1975 to working-class parents in Essex, east of London, Brand began his stand-up career as a teenager, eventually working as an MTV presenter and host of a Big Brother spin-off. He presented a show on the BBC's Radio 2 station between 2006 and 2008, but quit after an on-air prank when he left a sexually explicit voicemail for "Fawlty Towers" actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter. Once a left-leaning political campaigner and Hollywood star, he has rebranded himself as a conservative guru to his millions of social media followers. Brand often peddles in conspiracy theories, as well as sharing wellness tips, in his anti-establishment videos. Last year, he said he became a Christian after being baptised in the Thames river. aks/jkb/yad
France 24
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
Comedian Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault charges
The media personality turned anti-establishment influencer faces one count of rape, one of oral rape, two of sexual assault and one of indecent assault between 1999 and 2005, involving four women. Crowds were waiting as Brand, 49, arrived at Southwark Crown Court in an open-buttoned shirt and dark blazer for the plea hearing, after being granted conditional bail at a previous hearing. He gained international recognition as the husband of pop star Katy Perry, but is better known in the UK for his hyper-sexualised and often lewd comedy routines and TV and radio appearances in the early 2000s. Now living partly in the US, Brand appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London earlier this month, where he showed no emotion as a prosecutor read out allegations against him. On Friday Brand appeared in the dock flanked by two officers, where he stood stock-still and looked straight ahead as he delivered his pleas. He is now due to stand trial next year, on June 3, 2026. Prosecutors charged Brand following a police probe into allegations aired in a 2003 Channel 4 documentary. He is accused of raping one woman in a hotel room following an event in the southern Bournemouth area in 1999. Another charge relates to the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in central London. The accusations involve four women, including one who was a TV worker, and another who was a radio station worker at the time of the alleged assaults. In a video response on X after he was charged in April, Brand said he was "grateful" for the "opportunity" to defend himself. Conservative guru "I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile, but what I never was was a rapist. I've never engaged in non-consensual activity," he said in the video. Born in 1975 to working-class parents in Essex, east of London, Brand began his stand-up career as a teenager, eventually working as an MTV presenter and host of a Big Brother spin-off. He presented a show on the BBC's Radio 2 station between 2006 and 2008, but quit after an on-air prank when he left a sexually explicit voicemail for "Fawlty Towers" actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter. Once a left-leaning political campaigner and Hollywood star, he has rebranded himself as a conservative guru to his millions of social media followers.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault in London court
LONDON (AP) — Actor and comedian Russell Brand pleaded not guilty in a London court Friday to rape and sexual assault charges involving four women dating back more than 25 years. Brand, who turns 50 next week, denied two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. He said "not guilty' after each charge was read in Southwark Crown Court. His trial was scheduled for June 3, 2026 and is expected to last four to five weeks. Prosecutors said that the offenses took place between 1999 and 2005 — one in the English seaside town of Bournemouth and the other three in London. Brand didn't speak to reporters as he arrived at court wearing dark sunglasses, a suit jacket, a black collared shirt open below his chest and black jeans. In his right hand, he clutched a copy of the 'The Valley of Vision,' a collection of Puritan prayers. The 'Get Him To The Greek' actor known for risqué stand-up routines, battles with drugs and alcohol, has dropped out of the mainstream media in recent years and built a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories, as well as discussing religion. On a five-minute prayer video he posted Monday on social media, Brand wrote: 'Jesus, thank you for saving my life.' When the charges were announced last month, he said that he welcomed the opportunity to prove his innocence. 'I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord,' he said in a social media video. 'I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile. But what I never was was a rapist. I've never engaged in nonconsensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.' Brand is accused of raping a woman at a hotel room in Bournemouth when she attended a 1999 Labour Party conference and met him at an event where he was performing. The woman alleged that Brand stripped while she was in the bathroom and when she returned to the room he pushed her on the bed, removed her underwear and raped her. A second woman said that Brand grabbed her forearm and attempted to drag her into a men's toilet at a television station in London in 2001. The third accuser was a television employee who met Brand at a birthday party in a bar in 2004, where he allegedly grabbed her breasts before pulling her into a toilet and forcing her to perform oral sex. The final accuser worked at a radio station and met Brand while he was working on a spin-off of the 'Big Brother' reality television program between 2004 and 2005. She said Brand grabbed her by the face with both hands, pushed her against a wall and kissed her before groping her breasts and buttocks. The Associated Press doesn't name victims of alleged sexual violence, and British law protects their identity from the media for life. Brian Melley, The Associated Press
