Channel 4 aired a documentary called Russell Brand: In Plain Sight, a 90-minute catalogue of allegations against the comedian turned influencer, including rape, sexual assault and abusive, controlling and predatory behaviour.
Four women spoke on the record, retaining their right to anonymity. One woman explained that, as a 16-year-old teenager in 2006, she began a relationship with 30-year-old Brand, who became controlling and abusive over the course of three months.
Another women detailed allegations of being attacked in 2012 by Brand at his home in LA, while a third claimed she was sexually assualted by the comedian, also in LA, in 2013. A fourth told the programme Brand had allegedly exposed himself to her during his time working at Channel 4 in the early 2000s.
The documentary also revisited the book published by Brand’s former girlfriend, Jordan Martin, who wrote a book detailing an alleged assault by him. Martin told the documentary she didn’t wish to take part, but stood by her account.
Channel 4 said at the start of the programme that the Dispatches team had been investigating the comedian since 2019, including speaking to hundreds of people working in comedy, showbusiness and the film industry.
The documentary was aired on the same day as the Times of London published its own expose into the comedian’s treatment of women. The paper has been working with the Sunday Times and Channel 4.
Brand has rejected all allegations against him, saying in a video he published on Friday that, while he had been promiscuous during this period in his life, all his relationships had been consensual. He said in the video that the allegations were all part of a coordinated attack by mainstream media to bring him down, due to his huge fanbase and influential position in counter-culture.
At the same time as the documentary was being aired on British television, Brand was on stage at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, where he performed in front of thousands at a long-arranged sold-out gig. The comedian was greeted by cheers with one woman holding a sign saying, “We stand by you Russell. Stay strong. Stay Free. We love you.”
Brand told the audience: “I really appreciate your support. I love you. I want to do a fantastic show. I’ve got a lot of things I want to talk to you about. There are obviously some things I absolutely cannot talk about – and I appreciate that you will understand.”
