Laura Gallacher walked into Southwark Crown Court in London alongside her husband Russell Brand as he arrived for the start of his trial on rape and sexual assault charges. The couple showed solidarity this morning, with Laura by his side despite uncertainty over whether she would make the journey from Florida, where the family moved in late 2024.
Brand, formerly of Channel 4 and Hollywood films, appeared at a pre-trial hearing last week in a grey suit, clutching a Bible and Laura's hand. Today, he wore a grey suit, a white unbuttoned shirt with a brown neckerchief, brown boots and sunglasses, which he removed as he passed the cameras. Laura was dressed in a dark brown suit and also wore shades.
Who is Laura Gallacher?
Laura, 38, is an author and illustrator, born in Surrey in 1987, and the couple have been married for nine years. She is a born again Christian and recently agreed to join her husband in his faith-based ventures. She is the daughter of golf great Bernard Gallacher, former Ryder Cup captain, and grew up at the Wentworth estate in Surrey, where famous residents have included Sir Bruce Forsyth, Elton John and Sarah Ferguson.
Brand denies three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one allegation of indecent assault, made by six women.
How they met
Russell and Laura dated briefly in 2007, but it did not last. They reconnected in 2015 after his two-year marriage to singer Katy Perry ended. Laura told Grazia in 2020: "My ex had literally moved out of our flat that day, and I was heartbroken, with mascara running down my face. A friend dragged me out on a walk to the canal in east London, where I'd never been in my life, and as we came on to the footpath, Russell was standing there."
He proposed in June 2016, and they married in August 2017 in an intimate church service near their home in Henley-on-Thames, with guests including Noel Gallagher and Jonathan Ross.
Her famous family
Laura is the sister of broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher, 50, who rose to fame as a Sky Sports presenter in the Nineties and has worked for GB News and Smooth Radio. Their father Bernard, now 77, retired from professional golf after captaining Europe to victory at the Ryder Cup in 1995.
Laura described how their love reignited for a deeper connection the second time around, saying on the Made by Mammas podcast: "You have to rebuild your foundations and trust again, we did it the right way. It was very slow, it was getting to know each other and going out on day trips together. I hadn't seen Russell for years, he was so different. We both immediately knew it was going to be serious."
They built a quiet life in Oxfordshire, keeping dogs, chickens and cats, and went for weekend cruises in a narrowboat. Laura said in one interview: "We really do have fun together. Sometimes, it can look like I'm dealing with an adult toddler, but Russell's really into doing the stuff I'm into."
Move to Florida
Brand shifted away from mainstream television and films to focus on podcasting and online content creation, swapping his Oxfordshire mansion for a home in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. He said on the Rumble video platform: "I don't live in the United Kingdom anymore because I personally have experienced how the media, government and judiciary, if you suddenly become an inconvenience, will find ways to attack and shut you down." Despite being from Grays in Essex, he has become a notable figure among Trump supporters and was spotted at his inauguration last year.
