Georgina Baillie, the granddaughter of Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs, has described Russell Brand as a 'seriously unwell sex addict' in the wake of his conviction for rape and sexual assault. Baillie, who met Brand at 21 while working with her burlesque dance troupe and later became his partner, said she has been 'very disappointed' in him as she watched his trial unfold.
Baillie calls for Brand to 'right the wrongs'
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Baillie said: 'Justice has been served. Although he never raped or assaulted me as I have always said I didn't know what happened in the privacy of the rooms that the victims and Russell were in and their evidence was compelling. He has been found guilty, and I now want Russell to right the wrongs.'
The 51-year-old comedian was found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. He is due to be sentenced next week but has been remanded in custody, reportedly spending his first nights in solitary confinement.
Baillie, herself a survivor of sexual assault, expressed disappointment that Brand did not 'make amends' with his victims. 'Owning up would be the first part of the amends and the second part would be whatever measures are necessary to put these girls back together,' she added.
The Sachsgate scandal and its aftermath
While Baillie maintains her relationship with Brand was consensual, she said the entanglement brought huge trauma and left her spiralling into drug and alcohol use. In 2008, Brand, encouraged by BBC Radio 2 co-presenter Jonathan Ross, left voicemails for Sachs bragging about sleeping with his granddaughter. Comments included 'it was consensual and she wasn't menstrual', with Ross adding 'he f***ed your granddaughter'.
The scandal, known as Sachsgate, meant Baillie did not see or speak to her grandparents for eight years, despite trying to reconcile. 'They [Brand and Ross] were slut shaming,' she said. 'It was bullying towards my grandfather. It was an in joke between the two of them little idiots.'
As an apology, Brand later paid for her therapy bills and other medical expenses. Baillie spent six months in a rehabilitation centre in Staffordshire but relapsed after leaving, admitting to feeling 'lost' and 'worthless' after the scandal.
Recovery and reflection
With support from family and friends, Baillie is now six years sober and hosts a podcast focused on addiction issues. She believes Brand is 'seriously unwell' and a sex addict, noting that the former actor has previously admitted to having addiction issues.
Baillie gave a statement to Brand's defence, which has not been made public, thought to be in case Sachsgate was brought up, but it was not used in court. While their relationship was incredibly public, she said it was very casual, and she does not regret being involved with him.
Baillie did finally see her grandfather again, apologising before he died in 2016 at the age of 86. He was suffering from dementia at that point, and she was unsure if he recognised her or understood her apology but said she had made amends with everyone.
