After London’s Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into Russell Brand last week, the Thames Valley Police is also looking into the matter, it has emerged.
A woman contacted the Thames Valley Police two weeks ago with “new information” in relation to reports of “harassment and stalking,” according to the BBC. The Metropolitan Police had said previously that it had received a “number of allegations of sexual offences.”
Brand, a comedian and actor who has appeared in films including “Rock of Ages” alongside Tom Cruise, was the subject of a lengthy joint investigation by The Times of London, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 documentary strand “Dispatches” which alleged that Brand raped or sexually assaulted four women at the height of his fame. Brand has strongly denied the allegations.
Per the BBC, the woman reported her allegations to Thames Valley Police several times between 2018 and 2022 but no further action was taken. Separately, Brand had also accused the woman of harassment against him in 2017, the BBC said. The Thames Valley Police is looking into the new information but “it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation,” the BBC said, quoting the force.
Since the Times article, Brand’s live tour has been postponed and his publishing deal with Pan Macmillan imprint Bluebird was suspended. The BBC has also removed some previous programs that featured Brand from digital services, saying that the content “falls below public expectations.”
A YouTube executive has said that Russell Brand should not be able to “make a living” through the platform but added YouTube currently has no plans to ban him.