Russell Brand has been charged with rape and sexual assault relating to four separate women between 1999 and 2005.
Comedian and actor Brand, 50, of Oxfordshire, is accused of one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape and two counts of sexual assault, the Metropolitan Police said.
In a video on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, Brand said: “I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.”
He added: “Of course I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”
Detectives began investigating in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations, which followed reporting by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.
He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday May 2 but is believed to be in the United States.
In situations where a suspect may be overseas, prosecutors seek to agree the defendant’s return. If there is no co-operation, authorities then consider seeking extradition.
Brand is charged with the rape of a woman in 1999 in the Bournemouth area and the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in the Westminster area of London.
He has also been charged with indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 and sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005 – both alleged to have taken place in Westminster, London.
Brand previously denied all the allegations and stressed his relationships were all consensual.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.
“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.
“A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@met.police.uk.
“Support is also available by contacting the independent charity Rape Crisis.”
Jaswant Narwal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for London North, said: “We have today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Russell Brand with a number of sexual offences.
“We carefully reviewed the evidence after a police investigation into allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary in September 2023.
“We have concluded that Russell Brand should be charged with offences including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.
“These relate to reported non-recent offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women.
“He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for a first hearing on Friday May 2 2025.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and the defendant has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
In November last year, the CPS confirmed that Met detectives had passed on an evidence file regarding sex offence allegations against Brand.
Channel 4 and production company Banijay UK announced it had launched separate internal investigations into Brand’s conduct, following the allegations in 2023, with the BBC also requesting a review into Brand’s time at the corporation.
In the Dispatches programme, four women alleged assaults had taken place between 2006 and 2013, a period in which Brand was working for the BBC and Channel 4, as well as starring in Hollywood films.
An investigation, launched by Banijay UK – which bought the company that produced some of the Channel 4 shows Brand worked on – found that informally raised concerns about the comedian and actor’s behaviour while he worked on several of the channel’s programmes were “not properly escalated or adequately addressed”.
The Channel 4 investigation found “no evidence” that staff were aware of accusations about the comedian and actor contained in the Dispatches programme.
The BBC’s review published in January found a number of people “felt unable to raise” concerns about the presenter and believed he “would always get his way and therefore they stayed silent”.
Brand, who presented a BBC Radio 2 show between 2006 and 2008, left the role after his on-air prank, now known as Sachsgate, when he left a “lewd” voicemail for Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter.
He also presented on Big Brother spin-off shows Big Brother’s Big Mouth and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack in the noughties.
The TV and film star was married to US pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 but is now married to Laura Gallacher, the sister of presenter Kirsty, and the pair have two children, Mabel and Peggy.
