A second U.K. police force is looking into allegations of sexual offences committed by Russell Brand
LONDON -
A second British police force is looking into sexual offences allegedly committed by actor and comedian Russell Brand, British media reported Monday.
Thames Valley Police is taking a fresh look at harassment and stalking allegations previously made by a woman against Brand between 2018 and 2022, the BBC and PA news agency said.
The police force declined to name Brand -- as is usual in the U.K. for people who have not been charged -- but issued a statement when asked about the news reports.
"Thames Valley Police in the past two weeks, received new information in relation to harassment and stalking allegations dating back to 2018," it said. "This information is being investigated; as such it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation."
London's Metropolitan Police said last week it was examining "several allegations of sexual offences" relating to Brand following a television documentary and newspaper investigations.
Brand, 48, denies allegations of sexual assault made by four women in a Channel 4 television documentary and The Times and Sunday Times newspapers. The accusers, who have not been named, include one who said she was sexually assaulted during a relationship with him when she was 16. Another woman says Brand raped her in Los Angeles in 2012.
Brand was a major U.K. star in the early 2000s, hosting shows on radio and television and appearing in several Hollywood movies. He was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012.
Brand has largely disappeared from mainstream media but has built up a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories. YouTube has said it will stop Brand from making money from the streaming site, where he has 6.6 million subscribers, due to the "serious allegations" against him.
------
Resources for sexual assault survivors in Canada
If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:
If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety, you should call 911.
National Residential School Crisis Line: +1 866 925 4419
24-hour crisis line: 416 597 8808
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 833 900 1010
Trans Lifeline: +1 877 330 6366
Sexual misconduct support for current or former members of the Armed Forces: +1 844 750 1648
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. assassination attempt charges 'confirm' Trudeau's claims about India had 'real substance,' former national security advisers say
The indictment of an Indian national for the attempted assassination of a Sikh separatist and dual U.S.-Canadian national 'validates' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations that the Indian government may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen as having 'real substance,' according to two of Canada's former national security advisers.
Bonnie Crombie wins Ontario Liberal leadership after 3 rounds of voting
Ontario Liberals have selected Bonnie Crombie, a three-term big city mayor and former MP who boasts that she gets under the skin of Premier Doug Ford, as their next leader to go head to head with the premier in the next provincial election.
Trump calls Biden the 'destroyer' of democracy despite his own efforts to overturn 2020 election
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Saturday attempted to turn the tables on his likely rival in November, President Joe Biden, arguing that the man whose election victory Trump tried to overturn is "the destroyer of American democracy."
Search for runaway kangaroo in Ontario continues
The search continues for the kangaroo that is hopping around somewhere in Ontario after it escaped zoo handlers from a transport truck Thursday night.
What was a hospital like in medieval times? Researchers analyzed 400 skeletons to find out
In medieval times, hospitals took care of the 'poor and infirm,' but how were inhabitants selected and what were their lives like? Researchers analyzed 400 skeletons to find out.
James Webb Telescope confirms existence of massive dusty galaxy from early universe
New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have confirmed the existence of a massive, dusty, star-forming galaxy which was first spotted years ago by a ground telescope, but was completely invisible to the Hubble Space Telescope.
Rocky planets may be able to form under more high-stress scenarios than previously known: study
A study of one of the most extreme, radiation-heavy environments in the universe has found that it might be possible for rocky planets comprised of water, carbon and other familiar molecules to form under far more intense circumstances than previously believed.
Teen girls are being victimized by deepfake nudes. One family is pushing for more protections
A mother and her 14-year-old daughter are advocating for better protections for victims after AI-generated nude images of the teen and other female classmates were circulated at a high school in New Jersey.
7.6 magnitude earthquake strikes off the southern Philippines and a tsunami warning is issued
A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck Saturday off the cost of the southern Philippines island of Mindanao and Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning.
Canada
-
Search for runaway kangaroo in Ontario continues
The search continues for the kangaroo that is hopping around somewhere in Ontario after it escaped zoo handlers from a transport truck Thursday night.
-
'Every tool at our disposal': Lawyers submit amended application to challenge Sask. pronoun legislation
LGBTQ2S+ advocates are not backing down in their legal fight against the Sask. Party’s Parents’ Bill of Rights, submitting an amended application against the legislation on Friday evening.
-
Amid housing crisis, jail seen as preferable to living on the street
Michael Keough has to pause in the middle of his phone call from Newfoundland and Labrador's largest jail to cough and wipe his eyes -- there's black mould on the wall where the phones are, he explains, and it irritates him after a while.
-
At first-ever health day at UN climate summit, Canadian doctors push for action
As global leaders prepare to meet for the first dedicated health day at a UN climate summit, Canadian doctors plan to use the platform to push for a new federal office dedicated to addressing the health effects of climate change.
-
Gatineau, Que. Facebook Marketplace sellers using fake addresses to scam buyers
Residents of a Gatineau, Que. neighbourhood have been dealing with a string of strangers knocking at the doors of their homes looking to pick up their purchased products from Facebook Marketplace, but instead discovering they had been scammed.
-
Sandie Rinaldo: Rick Hansen marks the 50th anniversary of his life-changing accident by visiting the scene
Rick Hansen lost the use of his legs in a truck accident when he was just 15 years old, CTV National News anchor, Sandie Rinaldo interviewed him recently while visiting the place where his life changed irrevocably.
World
-
Trump calls Biden the 'destroyer' of democracy despite his own efforts to overturn 2020 election
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Saturday attempted to turn the tables on his likely rival in November, President Joe Biden, arguing that the man whose election victory Trump tried to overturn is "the destroyer of American democracy."
-
7.6 magnitude earthquake strikes off the southern Philippines and a tsunami warning is issued
A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck Saturday off the cost of the southern Philippines island of Mindanao and Philippine authorities issued a tsunami warning.
-
Police raid Moscow gay bars after a Supreme Court ruling labelled LGBTQ+ movement 'extremist'
Russian security forces raided gay clubs and bars across Moscow Friday night, less than 48 hours after the country's top court banned what it called the "global LGBTQ+ movement" as an extremist organization.
-
U.S. targets oil and natural gas industry's role in global warming with new rule on methane emissions
The Biden administration on Saturday issued a final rule aimed at reducing methane emissions, targeting the U.S. oil and natural gas industry for its role in global warming as President Joe Biden seeks to advance his climate legacy.
-
Italy reportedly refused Munich museum's request to return ancient Roman statue bought by Hitler
Italy's culture minister is reportedly refusing a request by the German State Antiquities Collection in Munich to return an ancient Roman statue that embodied Hitler's Aryan aesthetic, calling it a national treasure.
-
Las Vegas police search for suspect after 5 homeless people are shot, killing 1
Five homeless people were shot in Las Vegas on Friday, one of them fatally, and police were searching for a lone suspect, authorities said.
Politics
-
Liberals, NDP, Bloc accuse Conservatives of stalling Canada-Ukraine free trade deal
Conservatives faced a barrage of partisan fire Friday in the House of Commons as their political rivals accused the official Opposition of trying to stall measures aimed at helping Ukraine.
-
U.S. assassination attempt charges 'confirm' Trudeau's claims about India had 'real substance,' former national security advisers say
The indictment of an Indian national for the attempted assassination of a Sikh separatist and dual U.S.-Canadian national 'validates' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations that the Indian government may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen as having 'real substance,' according to two of Canada's former national security advisers.
-
Court decisions forced some rethink of oil, gas emissions cap: Minister Guilbeault
The Liberal government had to delay its long-promised regulations to cap emissions from oil and gas production in Canada because of two recent court decisions forcing Ottawa to tread more carefully on climate policy affecting provinces, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Friday.
Health
-
At first-ever health day at UN climate summit, Canadian doctors push for action
As global leaders prepare to meet for the first dedicated health day at a UN climate summit, Canadian doctors plan to use the platform to push for a new federal office dedicated to addressing the health effects of climate change.
-
Flu season has officially started in Canada, public health agency says
The Public Health Agency of Canada says flu season is officially underway in this country. As of Nov. 25, 7.5 per cent of people tested for influenza across Canada were positive.
-
Pfizer nixes more study of twice-daily obesity pill treatment that made many patients nauseous
Pfizer shares sank Friday when the drugmaker said it would abandon a twice-daily obesity treatment after more than half the patients in a clinical trial stopped taking it.
Sci-Tech
-
Not so dead as a dodo: 'De-extinction' plan to reintroduce bird to Mauritius
An audacious collaboration between geneticists and conservationists plans to bring back the extinct dodo and reintroduce it to its once-native habitat in Mauritius.
-
Montana's first-in-the-nation ban on TikTok blocked by judge who says it's unconstitutional
Montana's first-in-the-nation law banning the video-sharing app TikTok in the state was blocked Thursday, one month before it was set to take effect, by a federal judge who called the measure unconstitutional.
-
James Webb Telescope confirms existence of massive dusty galaxy from early universe
New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have confirmed the existence of a massive, dusty, star-forming galaxy which was first spotted years ago by a ground telescope, but was completely invisible to the Hubble Space Telescope.
Entertainment
-
Kiss say farewell to live touring, become first U.S. band to go virtual and become digital avatars
After 50 years of Kiss, the band is now interested in a kind of immortality, using digital avatars of themselves for virtual performances.
-
Avril Lavigne, Tantoo Cardinal among honourees at Canada's Walk of Fame anniversary gala
Pop-punk icon Avril Lavigne, political satirist Rick Mercer and hockey superstar Connor McDavid are among those set to be inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame tonight at a special anniversary gala in Toronto.
-
Movie armourer in 'Rust' fatal shooting pleads not guilty to unrelated gun charge
The weapons supervisor on the film set where Alec Baldwin shot and killed a cinematographer in 2021 waived her arraignment in a separate case, pleading not guilty to a charge of carrying a gun into a Santa Fe bar.
Business
-
BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver
BMW is recalling a small number of SUVs in the U.S. because the driver's air bag inflators can blow apart in a crash, hurling metal shrapnel and possibly injuring or killing people in the vehicles.
-
Here's how Air Canada's new baggage tracking app works
Air Canada is hoping to give its customers more confidence when travelling with checked luggage through a new baggage tracking feature.
-
Walmart Canada investing $1 billion in modernization, 'store of the future'
Walmart Canada says it will invest nearly $1 billion this fiscal year on a slew of projects meant to modernize the retail giant's Canadian footprint.
Lifestyle
-
Fire upends Christmas charity in Michigan but thousands of kids will still get gifts
Donations are pouring in at a beloved Christmas charity after smoke damage from a fire stymied plans for the delivery of wrapped gifts for thousands of children in western Michigan.
-
This Saskatoon man just turned 104 years old and he still likes to boogie
A Saskatoon man is celebrating a remarkable milestone this week as he turns 104 years old. With a life that has spanned over ten decades, Nick Kazuska is still going strong.
-
'I just fell in love with it:' Montreal high school students learn how to cut hair
A small group of Montreal high school students is completing a 10-week program on cutting hair, learning everything from basic techniques to what it's like to run a barber shop.
Sports
-
Hoopla expected to hit new heights as Sinclair's farewell game in Vancouver nears
Canada's lopsided 5-0 win over an experimental Australia side in the rain Friday at Starlight Stadium and the hoopla surrounding it provided a taste of what is to come in Christine Sinclair's farewell game at B.C. Place Stadium.
-
'Big, dark canvas of despair': Rick Hansen speaks on how his mindset changed after being paralyzed
Rick Hansen's life changed the day he was told he'd never walk again, but instead of letting his disability stand in his way, he became an advocate for accessibility rights and a Paralympic Athlete. Here's how that happened.
-
Titleholder Italy joins Spain, Croatia in tough group at Euro 2024. Host Germany opens vs Scotland
Defending champion Italy was drawn in a tough group at the 2024 European Championship with two-time winner Spain, 2022 World Cup semifinalist Croatia and Albania on Saturday.
Autos
-
BMW recalls SUVs after Takata air bag inflator blows apart, hurling shrapnel and injuring driver
BMW is recalling a small number of SUVs in the U.S. because the driver's air bag inflators can blow apart in a crash, hurling metal shrapnel and possibly injuring or killing people in the vehicles.
-
New technology installed beneath Detroit street can charge electric vehicles as they drive
Crews have installed what's billed as the nation's first wireless-charging public roadway for electric vehicles beneath a street just west of downtown Detroit.
-
New U.S. rules, aimed at curbing China, could limit tax credits for electric vehicles
The Biden administration proposed new rules Friday that could make it harder for electric vehicles to qualify for a full US$7,500 federal tax credit, complicating efforts to meet President Joe Biden's goal that half of new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. run on electricity by 2030.
