RUSSELL Brand has openly admitted to sleeping with a 16-year-old when he was 30, describing the encounter as “exploitative.”
The 50-year-old made the revelation during an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show this week, acknowledging the UK’s age of consent but stressing his changed perspective.
“The plain fact of it is, 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,” Brand said.
He admitted his younger self was immature and recognised the power imbalance involved, saying: “Consensual sex, actually, with a variety of people when there is a strong power differential, because there is when you’re a famous man that has the ability to attract women that I had at that time, I think involves exploitation.”
Brand continued, “I think it is exploitative. I recognize 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.”
The comments come amid ongoing legal battles in UK courts, where Brand faces multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault dating from 1999 to 2005.
He has consistently denied all accusations, calling his past relationships consensual and transparent.
Brand’s trial, originally scheduled for June, has been pushed back to October.
Meanwhile, he is preparing to release a new book titled How to Become a Christian in Seven Days.
The former comedian and actor, known for films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, has been married to Laura Gallacher since 2017 and is a father of three.
As the legal process unfolds, Brand’s admission adds a new and uncomfortable layer to a saga that continues to divide public opinion.