Russell Brand has admitted to having sex with a 16-year-old girl when he was 30.
The comedian, now 50, is facing trial on three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one of indecent assault, following claims from six women of incidents between 1999 and 2009.
Brand has denied all charges against him.
“Exploitative” Relationships
However, he has opened up about his former “exploitative” relationships during an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show podcast, but he stressed that the legal age of consent in the UK is 16 and that the liaison was completely “consensual”.
But Brand did accept that because of his fame and age it involved “exploitation”.
He said: “In Europe and in the United Kingdom where I’m from, the age of consent is 16. And I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30.
“But when I was 30, I was a very different person. I was a lot younger and I was an immature 30-year-old.”
Brand stressed that the sex was “legal” and “consensual”.
He added: “Consensual sex actually with a variety of people when there is a strong power differential – as there is when you’re a famous man that has the ability to attract women that I had at that time – I think involves exploitation.
“I think it is exploitative.”
Past Relationships
The comedian-and-actor – who has three children with wife Laura Gallacher – also told host Megyn that he considers his past relationships to be “selfish”.
Brand – who was previously married to pop star Katy Perry – admitted: “I did not apply enough consideration, barely any I suppose really, to how that sex was affecting other people.”
An investigation into Brand was launched by London’s Metropolitan Police in September 2023, following the Sunday Times newspaper and Channel 4 TV programme Dispatches looking further into the allegations from women against the screen star.
“Never a Rapist”
However, Brand hit back at the claims in a post on X, telling his millions of followers that he was “never a rapist”.
He added: “I’ve always told you guys that when I was young and single, before I had a wife and family… was a fool, man.
“I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord … I have never engaged in non consensual activity, I pray you can see that by looking in my eyes.”
Brand – who converted to Christianity in 2024 – previously admitted to a sex addiction, and has also been open about his addiction to drugs, including heroin, and alcohol.
Russell’s exes include Jemima Khan, model Zara Martin, glamour girl Sophie Coady and burlesque dancer Georgina Baillie – whose grandfather was Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.