Russell Brand used a recent interview to address the sexual abuse allegations surrounding him, saying he is “not guilty” while also acknowledging that his past behavior involved exploitation. The comments came as the comedian, 50, faced renewed scrutiny over accusations first raised in September 2023 and additional claims that surfaced late last year.
Speaking on The Megyn Kelly Show, Brand said he slept with a 16-year-old when he was 30, adding that he was “a very different person” at the time. He said he believed his sexual conduct in the past was “selfish” and accepted that fame created a power imbalance that he now sees as harmful.
Brand said he had pleaded not guilty to the allegations and emphasized that he could not discuss everything publicly because of contempt of court restrictions in his country. He also said that while he was speaking openly about his behavior, he was not admitting criminal guilt.
Russell Brand says fame fueled exploitation
In the interview, Brand described how fame gave him access to “powerful women, ” as well as “waitresses, strippers and fans. ” He said that access, combined with addiction, created what he called endless opportunity for consent and led him to become “a hedonist and a fool and an exploiter of women. ”
He added that he now sees that conduct as wrong and something that “needs to be redeemed and addressed and atoned for. ” Brand also said he was careful about what he could say because of the legal risk of influencing a potential jury.
His remarks sharpen the public focus on a case that has already moved through multiple stages. Brand was charged in December 2025 with one count of rape and one sexual assault charge relating to two women from 2009. Earlier this month, he was also charged with another rape offense, and he entered not guilty pleas to all allegations.
Immediate reaction and Brand’s own framing
Brand thanked the interviewer for giving him a platform to respond directly to the accusations. He said that in places where he is from, the age of consent is 16, but stressed that the issue is not only legality; in his view, the central question is the ability to consent and the responsibility that comes with fame.
He also said that some people cannot consent, naming drunk people, children and mentally ill people. That distinction was part of his broader attempt to explain why he now sees his conduct as a moral failing even as he denies the criminal allegations against him.
Brand said he has remained sober since 2003 and has previously spoken about addiction and other personal struggles. In early 2024, he said he found redemption through Christianity, and in the interview he again framed his future around judgment by God rather than public opinion.
What the Russell Brand case means next
The latest comments do not change the legal position: Brand says he is not guilty and has already entered not guilty pleas. But the interview adds a new layer to the public record because Brand openly described behavior he says was selfish, exploitative and morally wrong.
For now, the case continues to sit at the intersection of criminal proceedings, public accountability and Brand’s attempt to explain his past in his own words. As the legal process moves forward, Russell Brand is likely to remain under intense attention, with every new statement feeding the larger debate around Russell Brand and the allegations he faces.
