Russell Brand: Victoria Derbyshire wades into media storm as comedian denies ‘criminal allegations'

Well known faces from the media have reacted to a video made by comedian Russell Brand, in which he revealed “criminal allegations” have been made against him by a “mainstream media TV company” and a newspaper - and denied them.

In the video, which was posted on Brand’s official Twitter (now X) page just after 11.20pm on Friday (15 September), Brand said he had received letters and an email from a “mainstream media TV company” and a newspaper which he said included a “litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks”. But he did not name them.

He 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 have 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 am being transparent about it now as well.”

He also said that he had been sent an email and a letter which included “very serious allegations” that he “absolutely refute(s).”

Brand’s comments come as interest grows around the content of a special Dispatches programme, which aired on Saturday on Channel 4.

Prior to the show the award-winning journalist and BBC Newsnight host Victoria Derbyshire said. “Ahead of tonight’s Channel 4 Dispatches investigation, Russell Brand says his relationships were ‘always consensual’. Watch the womens’ accounts. 9pm @Channel4.”

Brand has, however, received lots of support from others, who have replied to his video to express their solidarity with him. X owner Elon Musk is among those supporters.

He replied within half an hour of the video being posted - reacting to Brand's claims that the mainstream media is out to get him because he speaks the "truth" on his YouTube channel - and wrote: “Of course. They don’t like competition.”