Kenneth Glad
A key stage in the criminal proceedings against Russell Brand has been pushed back, shifting the timeline of a case that has drawn sustained media attention in Britain. The adjustment means the trial phase will not begin as planned this summer, giving both sides more time as the legal process continues.
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Russell Brand’s trial on rape and sexual assault charges has been rescheduled from June to October, a London judge confirmed, according to Reuters.
The reasons for the delay were not immediately made public. For now, the court calendar has simply moved on, placing the start of proceedings in the autumn instead of early summer.
Brand, 50, has denied all allegations and is expected to contest the charges in court.
Investigation first
The case has its roots in a 2023 joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches, in which several women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct.
That reporting prompted a Metropolitan Police inquiry, eventually leading prosecutors to bring formal charges the following year.
In April 2025, the Crown Prosecution Service filed multiple counts, including rape, indecent assault, oral rape and sexual assault, relating to four complainants.
Charges expand
The indictment was later expanded in December 2025 with two additional counts, one of rape and one of sexual assault, linked to two more women.
Overall, the accusations span incidents alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2005. Brand has entered not guilty pleas to every charge.
Before the legal case unfolded, Brand built a career in stand-up comedy, television and film, with roles in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, alongside radio work and later online commentary.
Public stance
As scrutiny intensified, Brand publicly rejected the accusations while acknowledging his past struggles with addiction.
“I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord,” he said in a video posted to X last May.
“I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile. But what I never was was a rapist.”
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The October start means proceedings are now months away as both sides prepare for trial.
Sources: Reuters, The Sunday Times, The Times, Channel 4 Dispatches
