Russell Brand denies forcing himself on women at rape trial

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 18:39 · Archive

Russell Brand told police he led a 'very promiscuous' life but has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity, his rape trial heard.

Russell Brand, the 51-year-old former comedian, is on trial for seven alleged sexual offences against six women spanning ten years from 1999. He denies all charges. During four police interviews between November 2023 and July 2025, Brand insisted through prepared statements that he has 'never engaged in any non-consensual sexual activity'.

Brand described engaging in what he called 'friendly, consensual and warm' interactions with fans, including kissing hundreds of people in public and having sexual encounters in various locations. He acknowledged his 'very promiscuous' past, which he said he has spent years 'openly denouncing'. The court heard these statements read to Southwark crown court in London as Brand sat in the dock wearing a grey suit.

Brand attributed the allegations to media investigations. On 16 September 2023, Channel 4, the Times and Sunday Times published joint reporting containing 'false, anonymised allegations', Brand told police. He said this 'led to unprecedented media reporting' and that 'both the media and the police publicly invited additional allegations to be made, which resulted in further encounters being invented or reimagined'.

Responding to specific allegations, Brand said he did not recall some of the women who came forward. Regarding one allegation involving an MTV worker in 2004, he stated he did not recall meeting the woman. However, he acknowledged that 'it is entirely possible that I may have encountered them and that we may have engaged in consensual sexual activity or physical contact that has since been reimagined'.

How it is being reported

• Russell Brand told police he led a ‘very promiscuous’ life, trial hearsComedian accused of sexual offences against six women said consensual encounters were ‘unfavourably reframed decades later’ Russell Brand told police he had led a “very promiscuous” life and consensual sexual encounters had been “unfavourably reframed decades later”, his trial has heard. The 51-year-old comedian blamed the allegations on “defamatory and fictitious” media reports. He said in a statement that he had had sexual encounters in countless locations and scenarios and kissed hundreds of people in public while trying to be “friendly, consensual and warm”. Continue reading...The Guardian · 27 Oct, 18:32
• Russell Brand claimed 'very promiscuous past' was 'unfavourably reframed', rape trial hearsBrand described an intense celebrity lifestyle that included kissing hundreds of fans in public, having sex in toilets, and abruptly cutting off encountersEvening Standard · 27 Oct, 18:19
• Russell Brand says he was ‘promiscuous’ but denies forcing himself onto womenThe TV host and actor admitted he engaged in ‘friendly, consensual and warm’ interactions with fansThe Independent · 27 Oct, 17:05

In this story: Russell Brand · Channel 4 · The Times · Sunday Times · Southwark crown court · London

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