Russell Brand took to his YouTube channel on Friday to ‘absolutely deny’ what he called ‘serious allegations’ made against him in a letter and email – ahead of a mystery Channel 4 Dispatches investigation.
The much-anticipated programme is set to air at 9pm on Saturday night, with speculation building over who or what could be at the centre of the investigation.
Sources say that the long running current affairs documentary series will feature details about a well-known celebrity, which the Mail have been told are shocking.
Though there is no indication Brand will be covered in the programme, he made a video addressed to his fans.
The comedian, actor and internet personality told his 6.5 million subscribers late on Friday night that there are ‘very, very serious criminal allegations’ made against him which he ‘absolutely refutes’.
Brand said he had received two ‘extremely disturbing letters’ from a ‘mainstream media TV company’ and a newspaper.
The letters listed ‘a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks, which are untrue’, Brand said.
Russell Brand has taken to his YouTube channel to ‘absolutely deny’ what he called ‘serious allegations’ ahead of a mystery Channel 4 Dispatches investigation
The comedian, actor and internet personality told his 6.5 million subscribers late on Friday night that there are ‘very, very serious criminal allegations’ made against him which he ‘absolutely refutes’
Brand (pictured with his wife Laura in Bath) said he had received two ‘extremely disturbing letters’ from a ‘mainstream media TV company’ and a newspaper.
Posting the video on X, where he has 11 million followers, he said: ‘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.
‘During that time of promiscuity the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual. I was always transparent about that then and I am being transparent about it now as well.
‘And to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question is there another agenda at play.’
Amongst the ‘very serious allegations’ made, Brand said there was also a ‘litany of astonishing attacks’, which he called ‘some pretty stupid stuff’ including calls for his Community Festival in Hay-on-Wye to be cancelled.
The comedian and actor went on to add that ‘we have seen coordinated media attacks before’, referring to Joe Rogan announcing he had taken anti-parasite drug Ivermectin to treat his Covid-19 infection during the pandemic.
Brand said he was ‘aware of newspapers making phone calls’ and ‘sending letters’ to people he knows for ‘ages and ages’, claiming he feels that ‘there’s a serious and consorted agenda to control these kind of spaces’, referring to his channel.
He added: ‘I need my voice along with your voice. I don’t mind them using my books and my stand up to talk about my promiscuous sexual conduct in the past. What I seriously refute are these very serious, criminal allegations.
‘Also its worth mentioning that there are witnesses whose evidence directly contradicts the narratives that these two mainstream media outlets are trying to construct, apparently in what seems to be to me a coordinated attack.’
The comedian, actor and internet personality told his 6.5 million subscribers that there are ‘very, very serious criminal allegations’ made against him which he ‘absolutely refutes’
Responding to the Tweet, tech mogul Elon Musk told Brand: ‘Of course. They don’t like competition’
Throughout the clip, he mentioned how subscribers to his YouTube channel had previously written in the comments section ‘watch out Russell, they’re coming for you’.
Brand closes the video, which has already had 4.9million views views since it was uploaded to X at 11.21pm on Friday, by saying: ‘In the meantime I want you to stay close, stay awake, but more importantly than any of that – if you can, please – stay free.’
‘Stay free’ is a phrase he frequently used to ends his videos on his channel.
The video attracted comments from thousands of people, including tech mogul Elon Musk, who responded to Brand’s two-minute long speech: ‘Of course. They don’t like competition.’
Brand’s statement came amid rumours on social media about whether a scandal about a famous person could feature in the investigation airing today.
The Channel 4 TV guide simply lists the hotly-anticipated programme as ‘New: Dispatches Special. A 90-minute special Dispatches investigation’.
The network confirmed on its online listings yesterday morning that they were showing it at 9pm on Saturday night.
Now, a link to the programme page comes up with a message saying: ‘That page cannot be found. Either the address is incorrect or the page is no longer available.’
Radio Times magazine also had the programme in this week’s listings, with the description: ‘Dispatches – Investigation series covering issues in British society, politics, international current affairs, health, religion and the environment.’
Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy posted on X, saying: ‘Something’s up’
The Channel 4 TV guide simply lists a ’90-minute special Dispatches investigation’ tomorrow
The programme is due to finish at 10.30pm, but will also be repeated on Channel 4 on Sunday at 10.50pm and on Monday on its sister channel 4seven at 9pm.
Among those posting an image on X, formerly Twitter, of the description on the Channel 4 TV guide was the broadcaster’s news anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who said: ‘Something’s up’ before quickly deleting the message.
The Channel 4 News anchor and Strictly star’s post fuelled more speculation about the 90-minute special. He tweeted a picture of the schedule alongside the caption: ‘Something’s up’ before deleting it around an hour later.
Sources close to Mr Guru-Murthy, 53, who has worked for Channel 4 for 25 years, said that he was told to take it down as the nature of the programme is ‘sensitive.’
Dispatches has screened various big investigations in recent years.
In July 2018 it revealed for the first time how Facebook decides what users can and can’t see on the platform and in 2021 television presenter Davina McCall fronted a programme on the menopause.
In 2005 an episode named Undercover Teacher saw a qualified science teacher, Alex Dolan, going undercover in schools in Leeds and London to expose the ‘appalling teaching’.
Channel 4 has not yet returned MailOnline’s request for comment.
Russell Brands comments in full:
Hello there you awakening wonders. Now this is not the usual type of video we make on this channel where we critique, attack and undermine the news in all its corruption because in this story I am the news.
I have 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, as well as some pretty stupid stuff, like my community festival should be stopped and I shouldn’t be able to attack mainstream media narratives on this channel.
But amidst this litany of astonishing rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute. These allegations pertain to a time when I was 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.
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.
And to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question is there another agenda at play.
Particularly when we have seen coordinated media attacks before, like Joe Rogan where he dared to take a medicine the mainstream media didn’t approve of and we saw a spate of headlines of media outlets around the world using the same language.
I am aware that you guys in the comments have been for a while saying “watch out Russell, they’re coming for you,” “you are getting too close to the truth”, “Russell Brand did not kill himself”.’
I know a year ago there was a spate of articles: Russell Brand is a conspiracy theorists; Russell Brand is right wing.
I am aware of newspapers making phone calls, sending letters to people I know. For ages and ages, it’s been clear to me or at least feels to be there’s a serious and consorted agenda to control these kinds of spaces and these kind of voices.
I need my voice along with your voice. I don’t mind them using my books and my stand up to talk about my promiscuous sexual conduct in the past. What I seriously refute are these very, very serious, criminal allegations.
Also its worth mentioning that there are witnesses whose evidence directly contradicts the narratives that these two mainstream media outlets are trying to construct, apparently in what seems to be to me a coordinated attack.
Now, I don’t want to get into this any further because of the serious nature of the allegations but I feel like I’m being attacked and plainly they are working very closely together.
We are obviously going to look into this matter because it is very, very serious.
In the meantime, I want you to stay close, stay awake but more importantly than any of that, if you can stay free.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12524793/Russell-Brand-denies-allegations-ahead-Channel-4-Dispatches.html
