Trigger Warning: The article contains references to rape, assault and abuse.
Russell Brand, the comedian, had to change the dates of his upcoming stand-up tour due to allegations of sexual assault, rape, and abuse made by multiple women against him. The 48-year-old comedian was scheduled to perform three stand-up shows in the UK as part of his Bipolarisation tour. However, these shows have been postponed. Here’s everything you need to know.
Russell Brand’s standy-up tour are postponed
The tour’s promoters released a statement explaining the postponement, saying, “We are postponing these few remaining addiction charity fundraiser shows, we don’t like doing it — but we know you’ll understand.” Although three dates have been postponed, Brand went ahead with a scheduled performance at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London on Saturday night according to The Hollywood Reporter. During the show, he thanked the audience saying, “I really appreciate your support, I love you, and I want to do a fantastic show for you,” he continued, “I’ve got a lot of things to talk to you about. There are obviously some things that I absolutely cannot talk about, and I appreciate that you will understand.”
Russel Brand was accused of rape, assault and abuse
Russell Brand was recently the subject of a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches, where five women, including a 16-year-old, accused him of rape, sexual assault, and abuse dating back to the years 2006 to 2013, when he was working in the film industry and presenting for BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4.
In response to the allegations, Brand posted a video on social media, vehemently denying them. However, on Monday, new allegations surfaced, with “several women” contacting The Times. The U.K. government minister Caroline Nokes urged Scotland Yard to investigate these “incredibly shocking and criminal” allegations. Scotland Yard confirmed with People that London’s Metropolitan Police is “aware of media reporting of a series of allegations of sexual assault,” and will be making further inquiries.
ALSO READ: Kaavia was there for a ‘Blue Ivy concert’: Gabrielle Union on daughter’s first concert experience
Russell Brand has denied the allegation
In his video, Brand has stated that, “I’ve received two extremely disturbing letters, or a letter and an email, one from a mainstream media TV company, one from a newspaper, listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks, but amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks, are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute.” The 48 year old added, “These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies. And as I’ve written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous. 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.”
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is struggling with abuse or sexually assaulted, please reach out and report about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
ALSO READ: Kaavia was there for a ‘Blue Ivy concert’: Gabrielle Union on daughter’s first concert experience
