Russell Brand's videos on YouTube have been demonetized by the streaming channel—stopping him from earning advertising revenue on them—as the fallout continues from sexual assault allegations.
Over the weekend, Brand was publicly hit with accusations from four women of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse over a seven-year period. According to a joint-investigation by newspapers The Sunday Times andThe Times andTVshow Dispatches, the women claimed they were sexually assaulted between 2006 and 2013. At the time, Brand was a presenter on radio and television in the U.K. and an actor in Hollywood.
Brand has denied the allegations and said in a video posted on Friday on X, formerly Twitter, that his relationships have been "always consensual." He also stated that he seriously refutes "these very serious criminal allegations."
As the fallout from the allegations continues, YouTube has announced that it has suspended Brand's monetization on its platform in a move to "protect" its users.
"We have suspended monetisation on Russell Brand's channel for violating our creator responsibility policy," the platform announced on Tuesday. "If a creator's off-platform behaviour harms our users, employees or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community."
YouTube stated that it had suspended Brand's channel from the YouTube Partner Program "following serious allegations against the creator. This action means the channel is no longer able to monetize on YouTube."
The streaming platform's decision applies to all channels owned and operated by Brand, who has more than 6.6 million followers on YouTube. Newsweek has contacted representatives of Brand via email for comment.
Early in his career, Brand was known for left-leaning comedy that lampooned the British political establishment. However, in recent years he appears to have embraced more right-wing viewpoints, with his show Stay Free with Russell Brand moving to video platform Rumble in 2022.
His videos include titles such as "Shhh… Don't Mention The Vaccines" and the "Great Reset," which claims that "elites" were using the COVID pandemic to take control of the world.
On Monday, it was announced by the promoters of Brand's Bipolarisation standup tour that the remaining three shows had been postponed.
The fallout from the allegations has also led to the suspension of Brand's working relationship with a U.K. book publisher, and a literary and talent agency has cut ties with him. A charity supporting women who have been affected by abuse has also ended its collaboration with Brand.
In a video posted on September 16 to X (formerly Twitter), Brand denied the allegations brought against him.
He said he has been transparent about his previous relationships being consensual and that he wants to continue being transparent. He also suggested that "mainstream media outlets are making a coordinated attack" against him.
"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," he said.
A Sunday Times story published over the weekend said one woman alleged that Brand raped her in his Los Angeles home and that she was treated at a rape crisis center that day. The Times said it had seen medical records supporting the allegation.
The second woman said that the comedian assaulted her when he was in his early 30s and she was 16 and still in high school. She said he referred to her as "the child" during what she called an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship that lasted for about three months.
A third woman said that Brand sexually assaulted her while she was working with him in Los Angeles and that he threatened to take legal action if she told anyone about her allegation.
The fourth woman alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Brand and that he was physically and emotionally abusive toward her.
The investigations took place over the past few years, according to The Sunday Times, with reporters interviewing hundreds of sources who knew or worked with Brand. These included ex-girlfriends and their friends and family, comedians, celebrities, people who worked with him in radio and TV, and senior staff at the BBC, Channel 4 and other media organizations.
To corroborate the allegations, reporters viewed private emails and text messages, submitted freedom of information requests, and viewed medical and therapists' notes. They also used Brand's books and interviews, The Sunday Times said.
Update 9/19/23, 4:46 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional details and background information.
