The television presenter, comedian, and actor has been charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two additional counts of sexual assault involving four different women, the BBC reported.

Photographers surrounded his car upon his arrival and he did not speak to reporters gathered outside the courthouse. Surrounded by cameras and microphones, it took him more than two minutes to walk the short distance to the courthouse door, passing blocks of photographers who were surrounded by police officers. Brand confirmed his name and address in court and that he was 49 years old. He is accused of sexually assaulting a woman by touching her breasts and indecently assaulting another by grabbing her arm and dragging her toward the men's restroom.

Brand, who was asked to stand in court for the 12-minute hearing, did not enter a plea. He was charged by mail last month. The case will be heard at the Old Bailey. His next court appearance will be on May 30, and during the hearing he confirmed that he understood the conditions of his release on bail.

Brand, born in Essex, became known as a stand-up comedian, performing at the Hackney Empire in 2000 and later at the Edinburgh Fringe. He later moved into television, hosting national television and radio programs. The turning point in his career came in the mid-2000s when he hosted Big Brother's Big Mouth, a spin-off show of the hugely popular reality show Big Brother. This gave him the boost he needed and made him one of the most sought-after presenters in the United Kingdom.

Brand continues to host the NME, MTV, and Brit Awards, has his own debate show on E4, and was the host of the British leg of the Live Earth charity concert. His career includes radio presenting for the BBC, notably for 6 Music and Radio 2, between 2006 and 2008. Brand released a video in April stating that he had never engaged in any inappropriate behavior and that he was grateful for the opportunity to defend himself in court. The lawsuit follows an investigation by the Sunday Times, the Times, and Channel 4's Dispatches in September 2023, which revealed a number of serious allegations against him. |BGNES