British police announced on Friday that actor and comedian Russell Brand has been charged with rape and multiple counts of sexual assault.
The charges relate to allegations from four different women concerning incidents that occurred between 1999 and 2005.
Brand, 50, a once prominent figure in British broadcasting and the former husband of American pop singer Katy Perry, had previously denied these allegations when they surfaced in 2023, stating that he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity.
He was not immediately available for comment on Friday following the police announcement.
According to authorities, Brand, who resides in Oxfordshire, southern England, faces one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault.
Brand is scheduled to appear in court for an initial hearing on May 2, police confirmed.
During the 2000s, Brand was a familiar face on British television, recognised for his flamboyant persona. He worked for the BBC and starred in several films, including “Get Him to the Greek,” before marrying Perry in 2010. Their marriage ended in divorce after 14 months.
By the early 2020s, Brand had largely stepped away from mainstream media, primarily appearing on his online channel, where he shares his views on US politics and free speech.
The rape allegations against Brand resurfaced in September 2023 following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times newspaper and Channel 4 TV’s documentary programme “Dispatches.” They reported accusations from four women detailing sexual assaults, including rape, allegedly committed between 2006 and 2013. Subsequently, London’s Metropolitan Police launched a sex crimes investigation.
At the time, Brand “absolutely refuted” the allegations. He stated, “These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream when I was in the newspapers all the time and when I was in the movies. And as I’ve written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous.” He further added, “Now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were always consensual.”
The police have indicated that their investigation remains ongoing. In a statement, they urged, “Detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case or anyone who has any information to come forward and speak with police.”
