Comedian Russell Brand granted conditional bail after rape charge

The allegations against Brand stem back to 2023, when The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 published a joint investigation speaking with four women who accused Brand of rape and sexual assault between 2006 and 2013. Brand has since denied the allegations, saying that the relationships he had were “absolutely and always consensual.”

In the early 2000s, Brand was a rising star in the U.K. comedy and media scene, working for the BBC and MTV. His status was elevated after hosting the TV show Big Brother’s Big Mouth, a spin-off of the popular reality show Big Brother. He became more well known in the U.S. after acting in the comedy movies Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek.

Since then, he’s pivoted to become more well known as an internet commentator and pundit. Between his YouTube and Rumble channels, he’s gained millions of subscribers with his videos criticizing globalism, the mainstream media and vaccines.

In recent months, Brand has taken to social media to profess his conversion to Christianity. In the run up to the 2024 presidential election, Brand joined right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson for an event in the battleground state of Arizona. There, he closed out the proceedings on his knees in prayer against “the dark and demonic forces” of the deep state.