Russell Brand’s relationships with women have come under the spotlight as the star faces serious allegations of sexual wrongdoing.
The 48-year-old comedian and actor has since been accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013, when he was at the height of his fame working for the BBC, Channel 4 and starring in Hollywood films.
He strongly denies the allegations and insists his relationships have always been consensual.
On Monday evening, one former partner spoke out on the allegations – the granddaughter of the late Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs.
Georgina Baillie is one of a number of women with famous parents whom Brand had relationships with, while also having very public spats with their fathers.
Georgina Baillie and grandfather Andrew Sachs
Georgina Baillie spoke of her disgust at Brand’s infamous answerphone message to her grandfather Andrew Sachs— (Redferns via Getty Images)
On The Russell Brand Show on 18 October 2008, Brand and presenter Jonathan Ross engaged in a series of lewd answerphone messages left for then 78-year-old actor Andrew Sachs.
This infamously included Ross shouting, "He f***ed your granddaughter", a reference to Sachs’ granddaughter Georgina Baillie, who Russell had dated.
Baillie had herself gained popularity as a member of the burlesque group the Satanic Sluts.
The incident sparked outrage at the time, with Brand losing his flagship BBC Radio 2 show after the stunt while Ross was suspended from the corporation for 12 weeks.
Baillie later told The Sun: “It was bad enough that they recorded these things on my grandfather’s answer machine but astonishing the BBC saw fit to broadcast it when they could have stopped it.”
Two years before Sachs died in 2016, Brand wrote a letter of apology to him and said he was sorry for the “distress, sadness and turbulence” caused by the scandal.
He added: “I apologise for the damage I have caused to your family relationships and for robbing you of your peace of mind.”
Kimberly Stewart and father Rod
Rod Stewart’s daughter Kimberly Stewart, pictured here with actor Rhys Ifans— (EPA)
At the GQ Man of the Year Awards in 2006, Brand made a crude remark about the “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” singer’s daughter Kimberly.
“Here’s to Rod Stewart who had a go at me earlier this year for too much womanising,” he said. “But then again I did have a go on his daughter.”
When Stewart was invited on stage to accept his Outstanding Achiever award in recognition of his career in music, he didn’t hold back in voicing his disapproval of Brand.
“You went with my daughter, did you?” he said to Brand, before telling him to “stand up”.
An apparently chastened Brand then told the singer that he “took her out for one evening”, prompting Stewart to ask: “Did you behave yourself?”
Brand backtracked on his original remarks, telling Stewart: “I never touched that girl.”
“F***ing right, you didn’t,” Stewart replied, adding: “You mustn’t come up here and boast. I speak here as a father.”
Brand is thought to have tried to apologise to Stewart after the incident, and the pair were later pictured together at the event.
The former Faces singer hit back at Brand telling the Evening Standard later: “He might be a bit of a player but he shouldn’t boast. I never did. Russell’s been a bit timid since I had my say.”
Peaches Geldof and father Bob
Peaches Geldof with father Bob— (PA)
Though it was never confirmed, in 2006, Brand reportedly had a short-lived relationship with Peaches Geldof, the late daughter of Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof and the late Paula Yates.
The same year and while presenting the 2006 NME Awards, the comedian had a clash with Bob.
At the glitzy ceremony, Sir Bob, who was accepting an award from the comedian, proclaimed: "Russell Brand – what a c***"!” The singer then turned and looked a shocked Brand dead in the eye.
Brand told the crowd later: "Really, it’s no surprise [Geldof]’s such an expert on famine. He has, after all, been dining out on ‘I Don’t Like Mondays‘ for 30 years.”
Years later in 2015, and after Peaches Geldof died of a heroin overdose, Brand would also antagonise her sister Fifi.
“From what I’ve experienced, a lot of people here tonight are on drugs right now,” Brand told the crowd at an event fundraising for substance addiction treatment. “It was like an avalanche on the back of my toilet.”
Fifi Geldof reportedly called Brand an “uber-douche extraordinaire” after the “offensive” and “highly inappropriate speech”.
