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British actor Russell Brand has admitted to sleeping with a 16-year-old girl when he was at the height of his fame.
The comedian told US host Megyn Kelly on a YouTube show broadcast on Wednesday that the act was “exploitative” but not illegal. “The age of consent is 16 and I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30.” “But when I was 30, I was a very different person. I was a lot younger and I was an immature 30-year-old, ” he said.
He insisted the encounter was consensual but added, “when you’re a famous man that has the ability to attract women… I think it involves exploitation.” Brand admitted, “I recognise that my sexual conduct in the past was selfish and I did not apply enough consideration… to how that sex was affecting other people.”
The 50-year-old, once married to pop star Katy Perry, has pleaded not guilty to sexual offence charges in the UK involving six women, including rape and sexual assault. His trial is will start in October 2026 in a London court.
Brand, once a left-leaning activist, now presents himself as a conservative Christian guru to millions on social media. He was born in Essex to working-class parents. He started stand-up as a teen and later worked as an MTV presenter and hosted a reality TV show. He also presented a BBC Radio 2 show from 2006 to 2008, but quit after an on-air prank that left an explicit voicemail for actor Andrew Sachs.
