Share
The Story
Russell Brand accused of rape
This episode contains detailed allegations of rape and sexual assault.
Following an exclusive investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches we hear how the comedian and actor Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse.
Journalists Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace reveal the harrowing stories of two of Brand’s alleged victims.
Russell Brand strongly denies all the allegations.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.
If you have any information you want to share, you can get in touch with the team behind this investigation by emailing investigations@news.co.uk.
Guests: Rosamund Urwin, Media Editor, The Sunday Times.
Charlotte Wace, News Reporter, The Times.
Host: Manveen Rana.
Articles: Russell Brand accused of rape, sexual assaults and abuse - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russell-brand-rape-sexual-assault-abuse-allegations-investigation-v5hxdlmb6
Comic, film star, YouTube guru: Russell Brand’s many lives - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russell-brand-youtube-guru-wife-girlfriends-wealth-lrv8r36pn
How The Times and The Sunday Times investigated Russell Brand - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russell-brand-investigation-sunday-times-video-watch-latest-news-x33ss0kmk
Video: You can watch our investigation on The Times and The Sunday Times YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqfCzB1BOlM
Clips: BBC, Channel 4, Universal Pictures UK, ITV News, ITV, Endemol, Russell Brand YouTube Channel, CBS.
Helplines:
Rape Crisis England & Wales offers confidential support and information to women in England and Wales who have survived any form of sexual violence, no matter how long ago.
Phone: 0808 802 9999
https://rapecrisis.org.uk/
Rape Crisis Scotland provides confidential support for anyone affected by sexual violence, no matter when or how it happened. They can also put you in touch with local rape crisis centres.
Phone: 0808 801 03 02
http://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/
Rape Crisis Network Ireland supports anyone in Northern Ireland affected by rape and sexual violence
http://www.rcni.ie
Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provides a safe place to talk 24 hours a day: https://www.samaritans.org
Phone: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.org
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
More episodes
View all episodes
The last princess of Punjab who saved families from the Holocaust - The Saturday Story
11:24|In 1938, Catherine Duleep Singh, goddaughter of Queen Victoria and daughter of the last Maharajah of Punjab, personally secured the escape of Jewish families to Britain, saving them from the Holocaust. Her story didn’t end there, she became a prominent suffragette, fighting for women’s rights while navigating life in exile. We explore her remarkable courage, activism, and the lives she forever changed.Our listener survey is live - find it here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryRead by: Jack Blackburn, history correspondent for The Times.Producer: Dave CreaseyRead more: Last princess of Punjab who saved families from the HolocaustImage: Getty Images
BONUS: Last Man Standing - the final battle
42:50|The Story host Manveen Rana and her Times colleague Anthony Loyd continue their search for what happened to the British photojournalist John Cantlie, after he was kidnapped by ISIS in Syria. In this thrilling denouement to the series, Manveen and Anthony travel to a maximum security prison in Iraq to meet a man who could hold the answer. But will this ISIS prisoner reveal all? Or will Cantlie’s death remain a mystery?Listen to the full Last Man Standing series here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryHosts: Manveen Rana and Anthony Loyd, special correspondent, The Times.Producer: Harry Stott.Executive producer: Will Roe.Further reading: Anthony Loyd: my hunt for the forgotten Isis hostage John CantlieWatch: Hostage on BBC iPlayer. Clips: BBC.
Will the Mandelson files expose Starmer?
29:34|Peter Mandelson’s disastrous few months continue apace, after the government released a tranche of documents that tell us a lot about his hiring - and firing - as ambassador to the US. So what’s in the files? And what does it all say about the judgment of the Prime Minister?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryOur listener survey is live - find it here.Guest: Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The Times. Host: Rosie Wright. Producers: Harry Stott, Micaela Arneson. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Peter Mandelson files: flawed vetting, ‘risk’ and other revelationsMandelson files expose Keir Starmer — and it’s just the beginningFurther listening: Mandelson, Epstein and the fight for survival at No 10Clips: Guardian News, AFP News Agency, Sky News, Diario AS. Photo: Getty Images.
The Gulf's moment of truth - reshaping the Middle East
28:31|As Iran continues to attack its Gulf neighbours could the strikes turn into a wider war? Who might be drawn in? And with Iran hitting friends as well as foes, how will this war reshape the Middle East and its relationship with the US?Our listener survey is live - find it here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests: Michael Stephens, consultant and senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. Hofit Golan, influencer and content creator.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Olivia Case and Harry Stott.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Iran latest: Trump says war could end soon as ‘nothing left to target’Further listening: Iran has a new leader - how long will he last?Clips: Al Jazeera. Photo: Getty Images.
Why oil matters: conflicts abroad, costs at home
31:21|War in the Middle East has caused oil and gas prices to soar and sent the markets into turmoil. But why does oil still have such a powerful influence over the cost of household goods? And what has history taught us about how wars are waged when oil holds such sway?Our listener survey is live - find it here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest:Dr Ellen R. Wald, Ph.D., Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center and author of Saudi, Inc..Harry Wallop, consumer journalist and Times Radio contributor.Host: Rosie WrightProducer: Julia Webster and Harry StottWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Does Trump really have a plan for what he is doing in Iran?Further listening: Could Trump lose MAGA over Iran?Clips: Blue Georgia on X, The White House, The Economic Times, CNN, GB News, APPhoto: Getty Images.
Iran has a new leader. How long will he last?
30:51|Iran has appointed a new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. He’s the son of the late Ali Khamenei and a shadowy figure with a history of orchestrating brutal crackdowns on dissenters. President Donald Trump is also not a fan. So what does his appointment mean for the conflict raging in the Middle East? Our listener survey is live - find it here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests: Catherine Philp, world affairs editor, The Times.Negah Angha, former US State Department and National Security Council advisor. Host: Darryl Morris.Producer: Micaela Arneson, Sophie McNulty.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comOur listener survey is live - find it here.Read more: Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader?Further listening: How AI helped Trump attack IranClips: Sky News, Al Jazeera, NBC, Fox News, The Times, ABC NewsPhoto: Getty Images.
How AI helped Trump attack Iran
30:56|The use of Artificial Intelligence by militaries used to be talked about in the abstract, but during the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran we’ve seen it used in real time. So what happens when you have robots who can make battlefield decisions quicker than the speed of thought? And what made the Trump administration fall out with one of the world’s leading AI companies?Our listener survey is live - find it here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: David Leslie, Professor of ethics, technology and society in the Digital Environment Research Institute at Queen Mary University of London.Host: Rosie Wright.Producers: Harry Stott, Sophie McNulty. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: How AI helps 20 US troops do the work of 2,000 in Iran warFurther listening: Anthropic vs Pentagon: How AI is changing warClips: Fox, CBS News, Reuters.Photo: Getty Images.
Frida Kahlo: Artist or brand? - The Sunday Story
35:07|Thirty years after her death, Frida Kahlo went from relative obscurity to one of the most famous female artists on the planet. Now, her image has been used on everything from watches, scented candles, clothes, sanitary pads, and even Barbie dolls. But how did the communist icon become the face of a million dollar enterprise? At the centre of the story is a Kahlo family divided. Should her image reflect her artistic treasures or a global brand?Our listener survey is live - find it here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Blanca Schofield, assistant culture and books editor for both The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Rosie Wright.Producer: Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Artist — or brand? How Frida Kahlo’s family lost controlPhoto: FridaMoji/Getty Images.
My mother loves the regime - my father longs for change in Iran - The Saturday Story
12:09|The war in Iran has left its people divided. Some openly welcome the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, others mourn, steadfast in their loyalty to the Islamic Republic. The divisions run deep, cutting across generations. Majid Parsa grew up in one such household. He tells his story.Our listener survey is live - find it here.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryRead by: Majid Parsa, author of The Ayatollah's Gaze.Host: Rosie Wright.Producer: Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comPhoto: Getty Images.