Russell Brand, 51, has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to offences committed against four women between 1999 and 2005. Following the verdicts, bail was denied and Brand was remanded into custody.
Judge's Sentencing Remarks
Judge Joel Bennathan described Brand as a "sexual predator" who had shown a "casual and arrogant disregard" for women who rejected him during his rise to fame. The charges followed an extensive investigation launched by the Metropolitan Police in September 2023, triggered by a joint journalistic inquiry published by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4's Dispatches.
Police have also stated they are examining additional allegations passed to prosecutors.
Unearthed TV Clip Resurfaces
In the wake of the conviction, many people are looking at Brand's past TV appearances, with one in particular catching people's attention where Brand was seen joking about previously being arrested on an appearance on ITV's The Jonathan Ross show. During the October 2014 show, Jonathan Ross asked Brand: "But you've never been jailed for your behaviour," to which the comedian replied: "Sometimes they would leave me in police cells for a while, and I didn't like that very much. It's tiresome in there, it's lonely, it's hard to build rapport."
He then addressed fellow guest Lindsay Lohan, who looked uncomfortable, as he said it is "worse getting arrested in your country", speaking about being arrested in New Orleans in the US. "Everyone else had an orange boiler suit on, I felt so left out," he joked. Brand then said that "police are so much more friendly" in the UK. He also said officers "took all his drugs from him", and said it was "boring" in the cell, adding: "That's when you need drugs."
Public Reaction and Lindsay Lohan's Account
Many people were shocked to see Brand joking about being arrested. One person wrote: "He was unbearable from day one." Another commented on Lindsay's behaviour, adding: "Her body language is pretty strongly trying to get as far away from him as she can." A third chimed in: "How embarrassing for Jonathon Ross."
Lindsay then spoke about being in solitary confinement in a cell by herself for 14 days, saying she "made a mistake" by going to a club then 'drinking and driving home'. "That's not the right thing to do, but to put someone in that position, it was very scary, very jarring," she said.
Jonathan Ross Statement
Jonathan Ross has shared a statement on his relationship with Russell Brand and David Walliams following Brand's conviction and sentencing. Ross said he was "horrified" by Brand's crimes and stated: "There was a time in my life when I was on friendly terms with both men (Brand and David Walliams), and during that period I was genuinely unaware of their conduct. My thoughts are with the many, many women who have bravely come forward."
Ross faced intense public scrutiny after archival footage recirculated online, featured in ITV's documentary David Walliams: Power and Silence, showing him hosting the 2004 British Comedy Awards, where he made an onstage joke about Walliams going home with a 15-year-old girl. Ross recognised "how deeply shocking it is to revisit footage" of the joke. He said the line had been written by the awards show scriptwriting team, and believed at the time that it was merely an exaggerated reference to Walliams dating younger women. He called it a "tasteless joke that I would not dream of making today". Ross added that had he any reason to suspect the joke referenced actual behaviour, he would have refused to tell it, severed ties with Walliams, and acted on that knowledge. Jonathan Ross and ITV have been contacted for comment.
