Russell Brand has been found guilty of raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three women during his showbiz career. Jurors on Thursday convicted Brand, 51, of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, while clearing him of two further rape charges and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.
Brand showed no emotion as the verdicts were read, closing his eyes when the guilty verdict on the rape charge was announced. He replied "yes My Lord" loudly when he was remanded into custody, having been told he will receive a lengthy sentence.
Celebrities Who Spoke Out Early
Six women gave evidence against Brand, who was once married to Katy Perry, but none of his celebrity friends or former showbiz colleagues agreed to testify in his defence. Several celebrities had called out his behaviour years before the allegations came to light.
In September 2023, it emerged that Brand was dropped from the Comedy Central series Roast Battle after co-star Katherine Ryan accused him of being a "sexual predator" during recording. Sources close to the production told Deadline that Ryan "turned the heat" onto Brand, though her allegations did not make the final cut.
Ryan spoke about working on Roast Battle without naming Brand, telling Louis Theroux Interviews: "I - in front of loads of people, in the format of the show - said to this person's face that they are a predator." According to Deadline, multiple sources confirmed Ryan was referring to Brand.
Earlier Warnings and Reactions
Comedian Sean Lock, who died of cancer in 2021, said seven years before his death that he would hate it if Brand went near his daughters. Speaking on an episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats, Lock said: "Probably the reason I hate him so much is because I'm a dad and I've got this fear that one day my daughters will bring something like that home." In 2008, Lock described Brand as a "funny bloke" and "talented man" but a "bad example" to young comedians.
In 2006, singer Dannii Minogue described Brand as a "vile predator" after appearing with him on his MTV chat show, saying: "He wouldn't take no for an answer." When reports of allegations against Brand surfaced in 2023, Lorraine Kelly recalled an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in 2007 where Brand touched her leg and made a crude remark. Kelly said looking back made her feel uncomfortable, adding: "I do wonder if I would have put up with that now."
Katy Perry, who married Brand in October 2010 and divorced 14 months later, described him as "controlling" and "really hurtful" after the marriage ended. She told 60 Minutes Australia in 2020: "It was just like a tornado. It was like everything happening at once."
