Actor and comedian Russell Brand was today charged with rape, indecent assault, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault against four women.
Detectives began an investigation after 50-year-old Brand was accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse by several women in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches in September 2023.
The Metropolitan Police have now charged Brand - who lives in Florida - by post with one count each of rape, indecent assault and oral rape, as well as two counts of sexual assault, relating to four different women, and issued a court summons.
Brand has previously denied the accusations, and said all his sexual relationships were 'absolutely always consensual'. The alleged incidents took place between 1999 and 2005, and Brand is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 2.
He is charged with the rape of a woman in 1999 in the Bournemouth area and the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in the Westminster area of London.
Essex-born Brand was also charged with indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 and sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005. Both offences are alleged to have taken place in Westminster.
The star was married to pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 - then in 2017 wed Laura Gallacher, the sister of presenter Kirsty, and the pair have three children.
Brand, who presented a BBC Radio 2 show between 2006 and 2008, left the role after his on-air prank, now known as Sachsgate, when he left a 'lewd' voicemail for Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter. He also presented on Big Brother spin-off shows Big Brother's Big Mouth and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack.