For the first time since his pre-emptive video posted before multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against him were published in the British media, Russell Brand has reacted to those reports.
Calling this “an extraordinary and distressing week,” Brand goes on in a video posted on social media to thank fans for their “support and for questioning the information that you have been presented with.” Watch the video below.
That information includes Brand being accused by four women of allegations ranging from rape to sexual assault via a bombshell joint investigation that has been nearly five years in the making from The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4. BBC, Channel 4 and Big Brother producer Banijay all reacted by launching investigations into historical allegations related to Brand’s work for them, while Brand was dropped by his agent and book publisher and postponed his live tour, along with seeing ads suspended on his 6.6M-subscriber YouTube channel.
Another complaint emerged late Thursday after a woman told the BBC that Brand had exposed himself to her and then laughed about it minutes later on his BBC radio show in 2008. Brand denies all criminal wrongdoing and says all relationships were consensual. All our coverage of this latest scandal can be found here.
Brand’s response Friday paints recent reports and the reactions thereto as an attempt by the British government, “big tech and legacy media organizations to target, patrol, choke and shut down independent media organizations, like this one.” He accuses “these organizations” of collaborating “in constructing narratives.”
He goes on to promote his online video show, asks viewers to “support” it and promises to delve into “the deep state … the military industrial complex … big pharma … media corruption and censorship.” Interestingly, the Get Him to the Greek star makes no specific reference to the many recent allegations or any promise to address them in detail on his show.
RELATED: Russell Brand’s Live Tour Postponed Following Allegations
Jesse Whittock & Dominic Patten contributed to this report.
More from this Story Arc
Russell Brand Scandal
