Russell Brand undergoes probe by British police over sexual offenses claims

FILE – Comedian Russell Brand performs at “Eddie Murphy: One Night Only,” a celebration of Murphy’s career, at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif, Nov. 3, 2012. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

LONDON — Comedian Russell Brand has been interviewed by British police over three alleged sexual offenses, UK media reported Sunday.

The Sunday Times and BBC said Brand, 48, was interviewed last week at a London police station.

Without naming Brand, the Metropolitan Police force said that “a man in his 40s attended a police station in south London on Thursday November 16, 2023. He was interviewed under caution by detectives in relation to three non-recent sexual offenses. Inquiries continue.”

British police do not name suspects who have not been arrested and charged. “Under caution” means the interview was recorded and can be used in future prosecutions.

In September, the Times and Sunday Times newspapers and broadcaster Channel 4 said four women had made allegations of sexual assault against Brand. They dated from the period between 2006 and 2013, when Brand was a major star in Britain with a growing U.S. profile.

He denies all the claims, saying his relationships were “always consensual.”

Two UK police forces, the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police, launched investigations into Brand after the claims were published.

Brand was dropped by his talent agent and publisher after the allegations became public, and a series of live dates was canceled.

The BBC and other media companies he had worked for have launched reviews into his behavior and their response.

Known for his unbridled and risqué standup routines, Brand hosted shows on radio and television, wrote memoirs charting his battles with drugs and alcohol, appeared in several Hollywood movies and was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012.

In recent years, Brand has largely disappeared from mainstream media but has built up a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories.