The key facts

  • Russell Brand found guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault, acquitted on three other counts; sentencing on Monday
  • Katherine Ryan, Katie Brand and Bear Grylls supported the victims, Megyn Kelly called the verdict a 'travesty'
  • Brand remains under investigation over two further rape allegations

The jury's verdict

51-year-old Russell Brand was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court in London on Thursday on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women. He was acquitted on two other counts of rape and one count of attempted indecent assault. Brand denied all charges; he has been remanded in custody, and sentencing will take place on Monday. As Anadolu reports, the Crown Prosecution Service stated, that Brand used his fame to commit sexual offences and showed disregard for women's consent, while police said he remains under investigation over two further rape allegations and urged potential victims to come forward.

Support for victims and criticism of the industry

Comedian Katherine Ryan, on her podcast Telling Everybody Everything, described her feelings as 'grief and relief', noting that many women communicate 'privately and quietly' and experience a complex mix of emotions. She stressed that the victims came forward despite his fame, money and 'a legion of fans ready to attack' Brand. In 2022, in an interview with Louis Theroux for a BBC documentary, Ryan spoke about a 'predator' in the industry without naming anyone; the publication notes that this was widely linked to Brand after they worked together on Roast Battle in 2018. Ryan also criticised Brand's lawyer Ian Winter for his behaviour towards Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin outside the courthouse, calling it 'unprofessional' and 'aggressive'; Urwin took part in the 2023 investigation by the Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches, which led to a police investigation.

Mixed reactions to the verdict

Comedian Katherine Brand (no relation) wrote 'Russell Brand guilty. Good' on Instagram and said that producers had repeatedly offered Brand roles and that influential executives continued to support him. TV presenter Bear Grylls, who attended Brand's baptism in the Thames in 2024 — already after the 2023 investigation — wrote on X: 'Justice has prevailed', calling the women 'the heroes of the day'. American journalist Megyn Kelly took a sharply different stance, calling the verdict a 'travesty' and posting details of the complainant's sexual history on social media; her remarks were criticised for victim-blaming.