Russell Brand held hands with his wife Laura Gallacher as he left court today. The comedian, 51, has been charged with three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He denies all of the charges.
He was seen alongside Laura leaving Southwark Crown Court in London. She has made the journey from Florida, where the couple moved with their family in late 2024 after leaving their home in rural Oxfordshire.
Relationship history
Brand and Laura originally dated in 2007 but they split. Later, in 2015, they rekindled their romance following the end of Brand's marriage to pop star Katy Perry.
"My ex had literally moved out of our flat that day, and I was heartbroken, with mascara running down my face," she said in 2020 of them rekindling their romance. "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."
Marriage and move to the US
Brand proposed in 2016 and the pair married the following year - a connection which Laura described as 'deeper' the second time around. She said: "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."
Following their marriage, Brand and his wife decided to move to the US and swapped Oxfordshire for Santa Rosa Beach in Florida.
"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," he said of their decision to move.
Career background
Brand was initially famous for taking on a string of Hollywood roles in Arthur, Get Him To The Greek and Rock Of Ages. The comedian later moved into podcasting.
