In a significant blow to Russell Brand, YouTube has suspended his ability to monetize the platform due to alleged creator responsibility policy violations. This action comes as a result of an ongoing investigation by the Metropolitan police, BBC & Channel 4 into allegations of assault, rape and emotional abuse that supposedly took place during Brands career peak between 2006 and 2013 in both the UK and US, when he worked for the BBC, Channel 4 and as an actor in Hollywood films.
In this article, Gokhshtein Media outlines the accusations against the actor and comedian and how he has responded.
Warning: This article includes explicit content detailing the alleged acts.
What is Brand being accused of?
1. One woman claims that Brand raped her without using protection against a wall in his Los Angeles residence. She recounts that Brand attempted to prevent her from leaving until she mentioned needing to use the bathroom. On the same day, she sought treatment at a rape crisis center, a fact corroborated by medical records according to The Times.
2. In the UK, a second woman alleges that Brand assaulted her when she was 16 and still in school, with Brand in his early 30s. She describes an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship where Brand referred to her as "the child." Reflecting on the past, she believes Brand exhibited grooming behaviors.
3. Another woman, who worked alongside Brand in Los Angeles, claims that he sexually assaulted her. She asserts that she repeatedly told Brand to stop, and when he eventually complied, he became extremely angry. She further states that he threatened legal action if she disclosed her allegation to others.
4. The fourth woman has come forward with allegations of sexual assault by Brand in the UK, accompanied by accusations of physical and emotional abuse perpetrated by him.
Brand’s Response to the Allegations
The high-profile comedian and actor has vehemently denied these claims in a video posted across his social media platforms on Friday. Brand claims all relationships were consensual and that the statements made against him were attacks orchestrated by the mainstream media.
"Now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual. I was always transparent about that then, almost too transparent, and I'm being transparent about it now as well. And to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question, is there another agenda at play?"
He continued: "I'm aware that you guys have been saying in the comments for a while [saying] 'watch out, Russell. They're coming for you, you're getting too close to the truth, Russell Brand did not kill himself'.
In addition to YouTube's suspension, advertisers have withdrawn their support from Russell Brand's online videos. The comedian, who had once held prominence as one of the UK's most well-known comedians and broadcasters with over 6 million YouTube subscribers, is facing mounting challenges as he navigates these allegations. These developments have also led to the suspension of Brand's live tour and the temporary halt to his publisher, Bluebird's, future publishing projects.
