“I was never a rapist”: Russel Brand speaks out against charges filed against him

British comedian and actor Russell Brand has strongly denied serious accusations of sexual assault made against him. The charges, which were officially brought forward today, include one count of rape, one count of inappropriate sexual touching, one count of forced oral sex, and two counts of sexual assault.

These alleged crimes are said to have happened between 1999 and 2004, covering several years during Brand’s career. Due to how serious these claims are, they have attracted a lot of news coverage and public attention and reported on them earlier.

Related: Russell Brand hit with charges of rape and sexual assault in London

Brand quickly responded to the charges by posting a video statement on the social media site X (previously known as Twitter). In the video, he firmly denied all accusations of rape and any sexual activity that was not agreed to by both parties.

Russel Brand denies allegations brought against him

Brand admitted that he had problems in the past with drug and sex addiction and said he had made many mistakes during that time in his life. However, he insisted that just because he struggled with addiction does not mean he committed the crimes he is being accused of. He passionately declared his innocence and suggested that the legal system was being used unfairly against him.

Brand’s defense is based on his claim that every sexual encounter he had was with mutual consent. He described his younger self as reckless and troubled because of addiction but stated clearly that he never forced anyone into sexual acts. He also argued that the legal system is treating him unfairly, implying that the laws are not being applied equally in his case. This claim adds more controversy to the situation and keeps people talking about it.

The timing of the charges, along with Brand’s public response, has caused people to look back at old interviews he has given. One interview in particular, from 2007 with the now-disgraced TV personality Jimmy Savile, has gotten new attention. While it’s not yet clear what was said in that interview or how it relates to the current case, the fact that it’s being discussed shows how closely Brand’s past is being examined now.

Brand’s lawyers have confirmed that he plans to go to court on May 2, 2025, to formally respond to the charges. This court date is an important step in the legal process and will likely decide what happens next in the case. Because Brand is a well-known public figure, the legal fight is expected to be long and highly covered by the media.