'I Did Sleep With a 16-Year-Old,' Russell Brand Admits Exploitative 'Sexual Conduct' Amid Ongoing Legal Case

Russell Brand has publicly admitted to a past sexual relationship with a 16-year-old, describing his behaviour as 'exploitative,' even as he continues to deny a growing list of criminal allegations.

Speaking on 'The Megyn Kelly Show,' Brand did not dispute the core fact. 'The plain fact of it is that in Europe and in the United Kingdom, where I'm from, the age of consent is 16, and I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30,' he said.

'Consensual sex, actually, with a variety of people when there is a strong power differential, I think, involves exploitation,' he added. 'I think it is exploitative.'

Brand has consistently denied any criminal wrongdoing. Yet here he concedes that aspects of his past sexual conduct were, in his own words, 'selfish' and lacking in consideration for others.

'I recognise that my sexual conduct in the past was selfish and I did not apply enough consideration, barely any, I suppose, really, to how that sex was affecting other people,' he said.

Criminal Charges Continue To Expand

Brand's legal situation has developed steadily over the past year. In April 2025, he was charged with rape, indecent assault, and sexual assault relating to four women, with alleged incidents dating from 1999 to 2005. Prosecutors later authorised further charges in December, including an additional count of rape and one of sexual assault linked to two more women and alleged incidents in 2009.

He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

His first appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 2 May was procedural. He confirmed his details, acknowledged his bail conditions and said little else. The case was sent to the Old Bailey, where it was initially scheduled to begin in June 2026. That timetable has since shifted, with the trial now expected to start in October.

The delay extends a process already marked by complexity and scrutiny. It also leaves unresolved a case that continues to attract attention far beyond the courtroom.

Allegations That Pre-Date The Charges

Long before formal charges were brought, concerns about Brand's behaviour had surfaced intermittently. Some were raised publicly, others within organisations where he worked, and many appeared to dissipate without consequence at the time.

Dannii Minogue said in 2006 that Brand had sexually harassed her during a television appearance, describing him as 'a bit of a vile predator'. Complaints during his tenure at BBC Radio 2 between 2006 and 2008 referenced both sexual misconduct and unprofessional conduct. Former girlfriend Jordan Martin later accused him of assault and abuse during a relationship in 2007.

Comedian Katherine Ryan has also said she confronted Brand directly, calling him a 'predator,' though she did not initially name him in public. Those earlier accounts, fragmented and often isolated, gained renewed attention following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches in September 2023.

The report detailed allegations from multiple women, including claims of sexual assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013. One of the women said she was 16 at the time of an alleged relationship with Brand, while he was 31. Several accusers remained anonymous, citing concerns about public reaction.

Brand rejected the findings, describing them as 'astonishing, rather baroque attacks' and insisting his relationships 'were absolutely always consensual.'

Civil Claims And Industry Fallout

In parallel with the criminal case, Brand faces civil action in the US. A lawsuit filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act accuses him of exposing himself and later assaulting a woman during the filming of Arthur in 2010. The claimant, an extra on the production, alleges he followed her into a bathroom while intoxicated and assaulted her. Brand has denied the accusation, stating he had been sober for 'approximately eight years' at the time.

The legal challenges have been accompanied by swift professional consequences. His live performances were postponed. His agent, Tavistock Wood, ended its relationship with him, saying it believed it had been 'horribly misled.' YouTube suspended monetisation across his channels, removing a significant source of income.

Institutions have also been forced to respond. The BBC initiated a review into Brand's time at the broadcaster and removed some of his content from its archive. Public figures, including Vanessa Feltz and Lorraine Kelly, revisited past encounters, describing behaviour they found inappropriate or unsettling.

Not all platforms acted in the same way. Rumble declined to restrict Brand's presence, with its leadership resisting pressure to follow YouTube's approach. The divergence reflects a broader split in how media and technology companies respond to allegations that have not yet been tested in court.