BBC comedy star Josie Long has vowed to expose celebrity predators after revealing an alleged disturbing encounter with Russell Brand. The 44-year-old comedian, known for appearances on shows including Celebrity MasterChef and House of Games, claimed the convicted rapist once "bit her face" and chased her around backstage despite her repeatedly telling him she did not like it. Long spoke about her experience during an appearance on the Novara Live podcast.
Alleged incident when Long was 22
Long was just 22 at the time of the alleged incident and said it took considerable effort to make Brand stop. Recalling what happened, she said: "I actually had an experience with Russell Brand… where backstage he would bite my face and I would tell him I didn’t like it and he would chase me around.
"I would like giggle because I was 22 and it was overwhelming. But I remember I had to be very… it took a lot for him to stop.
"And it’s funny now to reckon with that and to be like, ‘Oh, that was a physical assault, wasn’t it?’"
Warning to other misogynists in comedy
Her comments come after Brand was jailed for 10 years and six months by Mr Justice Bennathan at Southwark Crown Court following his conviction for one count of rape and three of sexual assault. But she also used the interview to issue a warning to other men in the comedy industry, vowing that those accused of misogynistic behaviour would be held to account.
She said: "Let’s look forward to the next ten years. And also please let me say this very clearly, all other misogynists in comedy, we are coming for you and I hope you never sleep again."
Judge's sentencing remarks
Her remarks came just days after Brand began his prison sentence. In handing it down, Bennathan described the comedian as a "sexual predator" who had told a "series of lies" and displayed "staggering arrogance". The judge said Brand had been regarded by many as "funny and charismatic" 20 years ago, before adding that his status had protected him until 2023, when journalists published allegations against him.
He told the court: "Those public declarations that you were a sex offender empowered a number of women to come forward and tell their stories of your activities many years before.
"I now have to sentence you for the crimes you committed against four women between 2004 and 2009."
The judge also said Brand had insisted during his trial that he had "never touched a woman without her consent", describing this as one of a "series of lies". Brand was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping a 21-year-old fan he met after one of his Hammersmith Apollo shows in 2009. That sentence is to run consecutively with the terms imposed for the three sexual assaults.
