Russell Brand dispatches: Comedian postpones all tour dates as ex-Channel 4 editor labels allegations as ‘MeToo’ moment for TV

The father of Russell Brand has accused the BBC of pursuing a “vendetta” against his son who has been accused of rape and sexual assault.

Ron Brand asked why the BBC was leading its coverage on “unproven accusations of 15 years ago” about his son.

Mr Brand wrote: “Is this seriously the most important thing happening in the World? Immigrants? Cost of Living? 10s of thousands killed in Ukraine? “Who is Prioritising at BBC News? Who is really driving this Vendetta?”

In a separate post, he added: “With many Struggling to pay bills. The unproven accusations of 15 Years ago take lead on BBC News?”

A clip of the late comedian Sean Lock discussing his contempt for Russell Brand has gone viral in the wake of criminal allegations being made against the 48-year-old comedian.

Last weekend, Brand was the subject of an expose in The Times, The Sunday Times and a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, featuring allegations of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse from four women.

The alleged crimes took place between 2006 and 2013. Brand has denied all claims.

The clip in question is taken from the Channel 4 comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats, and originally aired in November 2014. In the footage, Lock says that he “hates” Brand because of his role as a father, and “fears” his daughters would “bring someone like that home”.

Shortly after the release of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” Kristen Bell told interviewers that she had to “intimidate” her co-star Russell Brand to make sure he understood she was not interested in a sexual relationship with him during the shoot.

Her recollections of her time with the British actor and comedian have resurfaced in the wake of allegations that he raped and sexually assaulted a number of women at the peak of his fame.

Brand has denied the allegations.

During an interview with the Scottish Daily Record, Bell said she was aware of Brand’s “womanising” and made it clear to him that she was not going to tolerate his advances.

Downing Street described the allegations made against Russell Brand as “very serious and concerning”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “These are very serious and concerning allegations.

“The Met Police has asked anyone who believes they have been a victim of a sexual assault to come forward to speak to officers.

“As the Foreign Secretary said over the weekend, people should feel able to raise concerns where they have them and know they will be treated seriously and treated with sensitivity.

“The Prime Minister has been clear there should never be any space for harassment, regardless of where it is found.”

John Noel told Channel 4 News he parted company with Brand around 2014 and said he could not comment on the allegations for legal reasons, before saying: “I’ve never had any complaints about him, other than turning up late. Yeah, that kind of thing. Standard stuff in our business.”

Brand denies all allegations made against him.

Katy Perry’s short-lived relationship with Russell Brand prompted a slew of headlines when the seemingly unlikely couple were first linked back in 2009 – and even more when they broke up just 14 months after their wedding.

Perry, 38, has not addressed the allegations against her former husband. However, she has spoken in the past about the circumstances surrounding her split from Brand, and previously revealed that he called time on their relationship over text

Shortly after the release of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” Kristen Bell told interviewers that she had to “intimidate” her co-star Russell Brand to make sure he understood she was not interested in a sexual relationship with him during the shoot.

Her recollections of her time with the British actor and comedian have been dredged up in the wake of allegations that he raped and sexually assaulted a number of women at the peak of his fame.

A joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches highlighted the stories of four women — including one who was a minor at the time — who say Brand either raped or sexually assaulted them between 2006 and 2013.

Brand has denied the allegations.

A Government minister has urged women who have experienced sexual assault to report it to the police.

Asked by LBC radio host Nick Ferrari what broadcasters should do in the wake of allegations against Russell Brand, which the comedian and actor has denied, pensions minister Laura Trott told LBC radio: “I think everybody needs to do better.

“I think no woman, Nick, reading the allegations that were all over the place this weekend could do anything other than shudder. It’s horrific.

“And I pay absolute tribute to the women who’ve come forward and also the journalists that have pursued this, the editors who’ve allowed them to do that, the investment that’s been put in place and the huge legal risk that’s taken for stories such as these.

“We all need to do better. And I would just plead any woman who’s had experiences like this to come forward and to report them to the police.”