Russel Brand Quits Comedy Show Over Sexual Predator Claims

Russell Brand’s last important TV job in the UK finished with him being removed from the show because people kept saying he was a “sexual predator” during the show’s recording.

In 2018, Russell Brand was chosen as a judge for Comedy Central’s Roast Battle. However, he was only part of the show for one season because he became the target of jokes on-camera regarding accusations that he sexually assaulted women. He has consistently denied any criminal wrongdoing.

Three individuals with close ties to the Fulwell 73 production revealed that Roast Battle judge Katherine Ryan confronted Brand multiple times during the filming. However, her accusations were not included in the final edited version of the show.

Several women have come forward, accusing the comedian of engaging in abusive and predatory behavior, which includes allegations of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse. These incidents are reported to have occurred between 2006 and 2013.

These confrontations show that there were discussions about Brand’s behavior within the TV industry. Despite this, he continued to work on prominent TV shows. However, it seems that the Roast Battle incident marked a significant change because Brand was notably absent from UK television after 2018, except for an appearance on The Great Celebrity Bake Off.

Last year, Ryan revealed that she confronted her unnamed co-star: “I – in front of loads of people, in the format of the show – said to this person’s face that they are a predator.”

On the day the allegations were first reported, Russell Brand received a standing ovation at a London performance. He has also received messages of support from various people, including Elon Musk, who owns X (formerly Twitter), where Brand has 11.2 million followers.

Deadline has verified from various sources that Katherine Ryan was talking about Russell Brand and his involvement in Roast Battle. Ryan explained to Louis Theroux that she didn’t mention Brand by name because it could lead to legal issues, and she herself had not been personally assaulted by Brand.

Paramount said: “We are aware of the very serious allegations raised in the investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Dispatches. Russell Brand was a presenter on MTV at periods between 2000-2012 and was a panelist on Comedy Central UK’s Roast Battle in 2017.

Brand was replaced by Jonathan Ross for Roast Battle‘s second season.