Comedian Josie Long has spoken about an alleged encounter with Russell Brand, claiming he repeatedly bit her face and chased her backstage despite her telling him she did not like it.
The 44-year-old said the incident happened when she was 22, describing the experience as "overwhelming" and saying it took considerable effort to get Brand to stop.
Alleged Encounter Recalled on Podcast
Speaking on the Novara Live podcast, Long recalled: "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 the Comedy Industry
Long went on to criticise what she described as a "toxic" culture within comedy, issuing a warning to others she believes have behaved inappropriately.
"Let’s look forward to the next ten years," she said.
"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."
Industry Reactions Following Conviction
Long is the latest comedian to speak publicly about Brand following his conviction for rape and sexual assault.
Fellow comedian Katherine Ryan previously spoke about the reaction within the entertainment industry following his conviction, describing a mixture of "grief and relief".
Ryan has also spoken about confronting an unnamed individual she considered a predator while working in television, claiming his behaviour was an "open secret" within the industry. She has previously discussed the subject in an interview with Louis Theroux.
Meanwhile, resurfaced footage of the late comedian Sean Lock criticising Brand on Channel 4's 8 Out Of 10 Cats in 2014 has attracted renewed attention.
Television presenter Vanessa Feltz has also revisited an uncomfortable exchange with Brand on his former chat show, 1 Leicester Square, in 2006.
Brand's Sentence
During the appearance, Brand asked whether he could have sex with Feltz's two daughters. She firmly replied: "No you may not."
He continued: "Come on, some of them are adults."
Recalling the exchange, Feltz said she had initially found Brand entertaining but later felt there was something "extremely chilling" about him.
Brand, 51, was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison at Southwark Crown Court after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women.
He was acquitted of two further rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault. Brand denied all the charges.
