Latest news with #Brand
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Russell Brand pleads not guilty
Brand will next appear in court in June, 2026. PHOTO: File 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, as reported by AFP. 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. "The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers," Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, said at the time. "The Met's investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police." The accusations followed a 2023 joint investigation by UK, newspapers The Sunday Times and The Times and Channel 4 current affairs show Dispatches, which focused on the claims of five women over events that took place between 2006 and 2013 - including one woman who was 16 years old at the time of the alleged incident. "I've received two extremely disturbing letters, or a letter and an email, one from a mainstream media TV company, one from a newspaper, listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks," Brand posted on social media ahead of the story's release. "But amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute." 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.
Kuwait Times
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
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-sexualized 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 baptized in the Thames river. — AFP
1News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- 1News
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges
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 offences 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. ADVERTISEMENT 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.' English comedian and actor Russell Brand leaves Southwark Crown Court where he is charged with rape and sexual assault in London, Friday, May 30, 2025. (Source: Associated Press) 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. ADVERTISEMENT 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.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault in London court
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 risque 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. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Comedian Russell Brand denies rape and sex assault charges in UK court
British actor and comedian Russell Brand, who has been charged with rape and multiple counts of sex assault, appears at Southwark Crown Court, in London, Britain, May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes British actor and comedian Russell Brand pleaded not guilty in a London court on Friday to charges of rape and sexual assault relating to four women more than two decades ago. Brand, once one of Britain's most high-profile broadcasters and former husband of U.S. pop singer Katy Perry, appeared at Southwark Crown Court and denied all five criminal charges. The 49-year-old has consistently denied having non-consensual sex since allegations were first aired two years ago. British prosecutors announced in April that Brand had been charged with two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault against four women between 1999 and 2005. Brand, who previously gave his address as being in England but also lives in the U.S., is due to stand trial in June 2026. He spoke only to confirm his name and enter his five not guilty pleas, before leaving the court with his lawyer and some companions. PREVIOUS DENIAL After the charges were first announced, Brand said in a video posted on social media that in his younger days, before getting married and having children, he had been a fool and a sex addict but "what I never was, was a rapist". In the 2000s, Brand was a regular on British screens, known for his flamboyant style and appearance. He worked for the BBC and starred in a number of films including "Get Him to the Greek" before marrying Perry in 2010. They divorced 14 months later. By the early 2020s, he had faded from mainstream culture, appearing primarily on his internet channel where he airs his views on U.S. politics and free speech. In September 2023, the Sunday Times and Channel 4 TV's "Dispatches" show reported allegations of sex offenses against him. Police began investigating some weeks later. Brand, who said last year he had become a Christian, rejected those accusations. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
