Russell Brand postpones all tour dates as former Channel 4 editor calls allegations a ‘MeToo’ moment for TV | Albiseyler

Russell Brand has 6.61 million subscribers on YouTube, which is about the same number he had before the latest allegations of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse were made public.

It’s a sizeable audience – slightly bigger than the more wholesome Ant and Dec can draw on ITV on Saturday nights, for example – and one that has clearly not been put off enough by the claims about him to try to opt out. Even Google (jointly managed as Alphabet Inc), the owner of YouTube, did not see fit to “cancel” a brand that must bring them (as well as themselves) significant revenue.

As was evident the night the story broke, Brand was still able to fill the theater, though his performance was reportedly scattered. His fan base, misguided or not, sticks with him, with most of them noting that he’s innocent until proven guilty in a court of law—beyond a reasonable doubt, and setting a pretty high bar before withdrawing their admiration.

Scandal comedian. Hollywood husband. Drug addict turned wellness guru. Left-wing activist. Conspiracy theorist. During his two decades in the spotlight, British stand-up and presenter Russell Brand introduced many different personalities to the public. Now another, darker side of the comic has emerged as he has been accused of raping, sexually assaulting and emotionally abusing four women.

Brand released the video on Saturday, September 17, before the allegations were made public, to deny “serious criminal allegations” that he says are related to his “promiscuous” past.

The 48-year-old comedian and actor said he “absolutely rejects” the claims and suggested there was a “coordinated” attack against him by two “mainstream media”. Later that day, a joint investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches was published revealing the allegations against him.

The allegations leveled against Russell Brand are “one of the MeToo moments for TV”, a former Channel 4 editor-in-chief has said.

Dorothy Byrne told Channel 4 News: “Historically there has been a culture on television of tolerating the appalling behavior of some men on the grounds that they are so-called stars.”

Mrs Maria Miller MP, former culture and women’s minister, suggested that non-disclosure agreements should be banned in the entertainment industry if they were used to silence people over alleged incidents involving Russell Brand.

She told Sky News Politics Hub that the organizations involved should provide “an explanation as to why they don’t have procedures in place for people who want to speak out”.

“I think they need to be held accountable for how they treat their employees,” she said.

“I also want to address some of the comments that were made over the weekend about people not yet feeling able to talk about these cases, and in particular the comments from the BBC and also the talent agency, which made me feel that maybe non-disclosure agreements were being used. which have potentially resulted in people being silenced about what are now obvious matters that could be criminally charged.

Asked whether the use of NDAs should be explored, she said: “Not only in this case, but in other cases, we’ve seen media organizations routinely … use standard non-disclosure clauses in contracts that they use when people suffers from illegal wrongdoing at work. I hope that is not the case here, but if it is, I hope it gives the government the impetus to intervene.

She added: “There have been steps taken to stop the use of NDAs in universities and perhaps this case with Russell Brand, if there are non-disclosure agreements, suggests that we need to take the same steps to outlaw their use throughout the… entertainment industry.” also.”

Russell Brand’s publisher has announced it is “putting on hold” all future book projects with the comedian after sexual assault allegations were made against him.

Bluebird, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, has published Brand’s titles in recent years, including Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions and Mentors: How To Help And Be Helped.

In a statement to the PA news agency, the company said: “These are very serious allegations and in light of them, Bluebird has decided to suspend all future publishing with Russell Brand.”

The 48-year-old actor and presenter’s upcoming title, Recovery: The Workbook, was due for release in December 2025, according to Bluebird’s website.

“Why are they talking about it now?” “Why didn’t they report this to the police?” “Did they bring it on themselves?” “Are they doing it for the money?” “Is this all just a plan to take down the next successful man?”

It doesn’t matter if it’s the President of the United States, a stand-up comedian, or someone’s brother-in-law, when women talk about alleged male violence, we hear the same, predictable reactions.

Even before the allegations of sexual assault and rape were shared in The Sunday Times, thousands of people criticized the women on social media as liars, attention-seekers, fame-seekers, mentally ill…even government plants.

Anything but telling the truth.

Shortly after the release of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” Kristen Bell told interviewers that she had to “intimidate” her co-star Russell Brand to make sure he understood that she was not interested in having sex with him during filming.

Her memories of her time with the British actor and comedian have been dredged up following allegations that he raped and sexually assaulted a number of women at the height of his fame.

A joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches highlighted the stories of four women – including one who was a minor at the time – who allege Brand either raped or sexually assaulted them between 2006 and 2013. Brand denied this. charge.

Katy Perry’s short-lived relationship with Russell Brand made plenty of headlines when the seemingly unlikely couple first got together in 2009 – and even more so when they split just 14 months after their wedding.

The British comedian, 48, has now been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse during the height of his fame by four women. The claims were made in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

Brand has strongly denied all the “very serious allegations” made against him, dating back to 2006 to 2013, and insisted his past relationships were “absolutely always consensual”.

Perry, 38, has not commented on the allegations against her ex-husband. However, she has spoken out in the past about the circumstances of her split with Brand and previously revealed that time was calling on their relationship via text.

Katie Rossinsky reports: