Georgina Baillie, Russell Brand's former lover, has called on him to "tell the truth" after he was found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults. The artist and actress, whose relationship with the comedian made headlines in 2008, said she had previously held him "on a pedestal" and admitted she had been wrong to trust him.
Sachsgate scandal background
Georgina became part of one of the biggest showbiz scandals of the time after Brand and broadcaster Jonathan Ross left a series of lewd messages for her grandfather, Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs. The pair prank-called the late actor on BBC Radio 2 and left a voicemail which was later broadcast. Ross said: "He f***** your granddaughter."
The incident, which became known as Sachsgate, sparked widespread outrage, including criticism from then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Baillie's call for accountability
Georgina has since said Brand helped her during a difficult period in her life, paying for her rehabilitation in 2018. She has previously credited him with "saving my life". She also agreed to provide a statement supporting his defence after being approached by his legal team.
However, following his convictions, Georgina told 5 News that Brand needed to take responsibility for his actions. She said: "The most important thing is to admit your mistakes and correct them as much as you can. Now if they've proven that he's done these things... that's what needs to happen. He needs to make amends."
Reaction to allegations and verdict
Georgina also recalled her reaction when allegations against Brand first emerged in 2023, following investigations by Channel 4's Dispatches and The Times and Sunday Times. She said: "I just found it really, really tricky to associate him with any form of aggression toward a girl, because he worshipped girls. Any woman who has been abused in any way deserves some listening time... He really ought to do the right thing, which is, as an addict in recovery, make your amends."
Speaking about the difficulty of reconciling the verdict with the man she remembered, Georgina said: "It's really hard to let go of the need for someone to be on that pedestal in your memory. Because he saved my life. I'll be honest, if I didn't go to rehab, then I'd probably be dead. So I owe my life to him for that."
She continued: "But the most important thing is to admit your mistakes and correct them as much as you can. I'm really sad that he's been found guilty because I really thought that, like, I had a better judge of character than this. But I am open-minded enough to know that I can be wrong. I'm okay with being wrong. I feel a lot of sympathy for the accusers and the victims if they've been proven. I really hope that they can find some healing."
Brand was convicted at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The jury cleared him of two further rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. He had denied all the charges. The comedian, 51, is awaiting sentencing.
