Comedian and actor Russell Brand is facing a fresh wave of legal troubles after being charged with two additional counts of rape and sexual assault, bringing the total number of charges against him to six. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the new allegations on Tuesday, stating that these latest charges relate to two separate women and alleged incidents from 2009. Brand, who is 50 years old, is already embroiled in a high-profile case involving five other charges—one count each of rape, indecent assault, and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault—stemming from alleged incidents between 1999 and 2005 and involving four different women.
The news comes as Brand prepares to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on January 20, 2026, to address the new charges. A separate four-week trial for the original five counts is scheduled to begin at Southwark Crown Court next summer. According to the Metropolitan Police, the investigation into Brand began in earnest about two years ago, prompted by a joint exposé from Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times. The media reports, which aired in September 2023, were followed by a flood of allegations and ultimately led to the current criminal proceedings.
Detective Chief Inspector Tariq Farooqi, who is leading the investigation, emphasized the ongoing support for the women involved. “The women who have made reports, including those connected to the two new charges, continue to receive support from specially trained officers,” Farooqi said in a statement, as reported by the BBC. He added, “The Met’s investigation remains ongoing, and detectives urge anyone affected by this case, or anyone with information, to come forward and speak with police.”
The Crown Prosecution Service also weighed in on the new developments. Lionel Idan, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS, stated, “These new charges relate to separate reports of non-recent offences in 2009, involving two additional women. These additional charges follow an investigation by the Metropolitan Police. Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring these additional charges to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue further criminal proceedings.” According to the Daily Mail, the new charges will be addressed in court next month, and the ongoing investigation continues to seek further information from the public.
Brand, who first rose to fame as a stand-up comic and later as a television and film star, has denied all accusations against him. After his initial court appearance in May 2025, he pleaded not guilty to the five original charges. In a statement following those proceedings, Brand said he is “incredibly grateful” to have the opportunity to defend himself in court. He has consistently maintained his innocence, and his legal team has stated their intention to vigorously contest all allegations.
The details of the alleged incidents paint a disturbing picture. According to information from The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s investigation, the original allegations span a period from 1999 to 2005. Among the accusations: Brand is alleged to have raped a woman in a hotel in 1999 after meeting her at a theatrical event following the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth. Another woman, who worked in television, claims Brand raped her in 2004 after they met in a Soho bar, alleging that he grabbed her breasts before pulling her into a toilet and forcing her to perform a sex act. A third woman alleges she was indecently assaulted by Brand in 2001 at a television station, where he grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her into a male lavatory. The fourth original allegation involves a radio station worker who says she was sexually assaulted by Brand between 2004 and 2005, during his tenure as a presenter on Channel 4’s Big Brother’s Big Mouth.
The two new charges, announced this week, relate to alleged incidents in 2009 involving two additional women. These cases are being treated separately from the original five, but all are part of the same larger investigation into Brand’s conduct over the past two decades. As reported by Deadline, the Metropolitan Police have encouraged other potential victims or witnesses to come forward, stressing that the investigation remains very much active.
The revelations about Brand’s alleged behavior have sent shockwaves through the British entertainment industry. Following the initial media reports, major broadcasters and production companies—including the BBC, Channel 4, and Banijay, which produced Big Brother—launched internal probes into their past dealings with Brand. These reviews have led to apologies and further revelations. The BBC’s most recent internal report found that staff at the broadcaster’s Los Angeles bureau had “joked about” an incident where Brand allegedly exposed himself to a woman in a bathroom. Channel 4’s own investigation uncovered “two new worrying allegations” against Brand, who had appeared on the network’s Celebrity Bake Off as recently as 2018.
Brand’s legal challenges are not confined to the UK. He was also accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a film extra on the New York City set of the 2011 romantic comedy Arthur. Although Brand had been living in the United States full-time for several years, he returned to London to attend pre-trial hearings, sidestepping what many anticipated would be a drawn-out extradition battle.
The public reaction to the allegations and subsequent charges has been intense, sparking widespread debate about accountability in the entertainment industry and the responsibilities of broadcasters and producers. The initial revelations prompted a period of self-examination among organizations that had previously worked with Brand, leading to questions about oversight and workplace culture. As the BBC and Channel 4 have acknowledged, more could have been done to prevent or address inappropriate behavior at the time.
As the legal proceedings continue, the Metropolitan Police have reiterated their call for anyone affected by the case to come forward. Detective Chief Inspector Farooqi’s message is clear: “Detectives urge anyone affected by this case, or anyone with information, to come forward and speak with police.” The next several months promise to be pivotal, as Brand prepares to defend himself in court and the broader industry reckons with the fallout from these serious allegations.
With the trial for the original charges set for next summer and the new charges scheduled for a court appearance in January, the story is far from over. The outcome will be closely watched, not only by those directly involved but also by a public eager for answers and accountability. For now, the case against Russell Brand stands as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and support for those who come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct.