Russell Brand breaks silence amid sexual assault allegations: Been an extraordinary and distressing week

British comedian and actor Russell Brand, who has faced a series of sexual misconduct allegations in recent days, broke his silence on Friday with a brief video posted across his social media channels. In the three-minute, 19-second clip, Brand did not directly address the accusations against him but acknowledged the challenging week he has experienced.

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"Hello there, you awakening wonders," began Brand as he looked directly into the camera. "Obviously, it's been an extraordinary and distressing week, and I thank you very much for your support and for questioning the information that you've been presented with."

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Brand went on to discuss his plans for an upcoming episode of his show, which will now be streamed on Rumble, a decision made after YouTube demonetised his channel following the allegations.

Among the topics he intends to address during the episode is the Trusted News Initiative (TNI), a global media partnership launched to combat fake news and disinformation. Brand claimed that TNI is attempting to "target, control, choke, and shut down" his independent media organisation.

He also mentioned tackling subjects like "deep state and corporate collusion," big pharma, media corruption, and censorship. Brand concluded the video by appealing for support from his followers, stating that he needs it "now more than ever and more than I ever imagined I would." He urged viewers to "please, if you can, stay free."

Brand's statement came in the wake of a major report by UK's The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches, in which several women accused him of sexual assault and rape spanning from 2006 to 2013. The allegations have had far-reaching consequences, including the launch of an internal investigation by the BBC, which has decided to remove content featuring the comedian due to falling below "public expectations."

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YouTube demonetised Brand's channel, which boasts 6.64 million subscribers, and his live UK comedy tour was canceled. The Metropolitan Police reported receiving another allegation related to a 2003 incident. Other content providers, including Paramount+, also moved to remove Brand's content. Additionally, BBC News published a report based on a new allegation from an unnamed victim who claims Brand exposed himself to her in a Los Angeles building in 2008.

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Preempting the media storm, Brand released a video denying all claims of non-consensual encounters. He stated, "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." Brand said that all his relationships during that period were consensual.

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