Russell Brand’s history of making crude remarks about women he had reportedly been romantically involved with repeatedly brought him into conflict with their families, including musicians Rod Stewart and Bob Geldof.
Both fathers publicly confronted the comedian after he made sexually suggestive comments about their daughters, Kimberly Stewart and Peaches Geldof, during the height of his fame.
The incidents resurfaced following Brand’s conviction for rape and three counts of sexual assault, for which he was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison this week.
Rod Stewart Publicly Challenges Russell Brand Over Kimberly
One of Brand’s most memorable confrontations with a celebrity father happened at the 2006 GQ Men of the Year Awards.
The comedian, who received the Most Stylish award at the ceremony, used his acceptance speech to make a crude reference to Kimberly Stewart, the daughter of musician Rod Stewart.
Brand said: “Here’s to Rod Stewart who had a go at me earlier this year for too much womanising… But then again I did have a go on his daughter.”
Rod, who was also attending the event, initially remained silent. However, when he later went on stage to collect his Outstanding Musical Achievement award, he decided to address the comedian directly.
Turning towards Brand, the singer asked: “You went with my daughter, did you? Russell, stand up.”
Brand, who had previously been known for his confident and provocative public persona, appeared uncomfortable as he responded: “I took her out for one evening.”
Rod then asked whether he had behaved appropriately during their reported meeting. Brand subsequently insisted: “I never touched that girl.”
The singer responded angrily: “F****** right you didn’t. You mustn’t come up here and boast. I speak here as a father.”
Rod shares Kimberly, 47, and Sean, 46, with his former wife Alana. He has eight children in total.
Brand reportedly attempted to repair the situation after the ceremony, with the pair later seen speaking to each other.
Speaking to the Evening Standard afterwards, Rod said: “He might be a bit of a player but he shouldn’t boast. I never did. Russell’s been a bit timid since I had my say.”
Bob Geldof’s Angry Exchange With Brand at the NME Awards
Rod Stewart was not the only famous father to challenge Brand over comments involving his daughter.
Earlier in 2006, Bob Geldof had also become embroiled in a public confrontation with the comedian after reports linked Brand to his daughter, Peaches Geldof, who was then 17.
The pair were rumoured to have briefly been romantically involved, although neither publicly confirmed a relationship. Peaches reportedly suggested that their interaction had not gone beyond flirting.
Despite the lack of confirmation, Brand reignited the speculation at the NME Awards, where he was hosting the ceremony.
When introducing Geldof to the stage to collect his Hero of the Year award, Brand mocked the musician’s name, referring to him as “Sir Bobby Gandalf”.
Geldof appeared furious as he approached the stage, brushing past Brand before telling the audience: “Russell Brand, what a c***.”
His remark was greeted with laughter and applause from the audience.
Brand later returned to the microphone and acknowledged Geldof’s achievements before responding with another insult.
“Bob Geldof there, obviously an amazing man to whom we have a lot to be grateful, not in calling me a c*** of course,” he said.
He continued by making a reference to Geldof’s famous song, I Don’t Like Mondays, saying: “Really it’s no surprise that he’s such an expert on famine, he has after all been dining out on I Don’t Like Mondays for 30 years.”
Fifi Geldof Also Condemns Brand Over Addiction Jokes
Geldof’s family continued to criticise Brand years after the confrontation at the awards ceremony.
In 2015, his eldest daughter, Fifi Geldof, publicly attacked the comedian after he made jokes about drug use at a fundraising event organised for Focus 12, a charity specialising in treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.
Fifi described Brand as an “unfunny b******” and an “uber-douche extraordinaire” following his comments.
The event took place a year after her younger sister, Peaches, died aged 25 from a heroin overdose.
Their mother, Paula Yates, had also died from a heroin overdose in 2000.
Sharon Osbourne Recalls Brand’s Remarks About Celebrity Families
Television personality Sharon Osbourne also criticised Brand for publicly discussing his alleged relationships with the daughters of famous men.
Speaking on Piers Morgan’s TalkTV programme in 2023, following the first public allegations of rape and sexual assault against the comedian, Osbourne recalled the incidents involving Kimberly Stewart and Peaches Geldof.
She said: “The only thing I can say about Russell Brand, is the two things I don’t like, was when he spoke about… one of them is a very good friend of ours, Kimberley Stewart, about what he had done to Kimberley Stewart in front of her father [Rod Stewart]. And then he did the same with Sir Bob Geldof.”
Osbourne added that she believed Brand should not have involved the families of women he had reportedly been involved with.
“You just don’t do that to people’s families, when that father is in the room. He’s done it twice now and that’s the thing that sticks with me,” she said.
Her son Jack Osbourne also discussed the family’s longstanding acquaintance with Brand during the interview.
Jack said they had known the comedian for nearly 20 years and acknowledged that he had previously engaged in behaviour he described as vulgar, outrageous and crazy.
However, he noted that knowing someone personally did not mean they were incapable of serious wrongdoing.
Sachsgate Scandal Involved Brand, Jonathan Ross and Andrew Sachs
Brand’s controversial comments about women he had reportedly dated also extended beyond their parents.
In 2008, the comedian and television presenter Jonathan Ross became embroiled in a major broadcasting scandal after leaving sexually explicit messages on actor Andrew Sachs’s answerphone about his granddaughter, Georgina Baillie.
Brand had previously been involved with Baillie, who was 23 at the time.
In one of the messages, Ross shouted: “He f***** your granddaughter.”
Brand made another explicit reference to the relationship, telling Sachs: “But it was consensual, and she wasn’t menstrual, it was consensual lovely sex.
It was full of respect I sent her a text. I’ve asked her to marry me, Andrew Sachs.”
The incident became known as Sachsgate and triggered widespread criticism.
Brand subsequently resigned from his BBC Radio 2 programme, while Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas and head of compliance Dave Barber also stepped down. Ross was suspended without pay for three months.
The BBC was later fined £150,000 by broadcasting regulator Ofcom, which described the messages as “gratuitously offensive, humiliating and demeaning”.
Georgina Baillie Says Sachsgate Damaged Her Family Relationship
The scandal also had a lasting impact on Baillie’s relationship with her grandfather.
She revealed that the incident caused a complete breakdown in their relationship, leaving them without contact for eight years.
Baillie eventually saw Sachs one final time shortly before his death in 2016, aged 86, when she apologised for the scandal.
She also said the incident contributed to her developing problems with drugs and alcohol.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Baillie described the messages as an act of public humiliation.
“They [Brand and Ross] were slut shaming,” she said.
“It was bullying towards my grandfather. Regardless of if I’m the biggest whore in the whole world, it doesn’t matter. It’s still bullying. It was an in joke between the two of them little idiots.”
Baillie later revealed that Brand apologised to her for his conduct and paid for her to attend a rehabilitation centre in Staffordshire in 2018, where she spent six months.
Brand Once Worried His Daughter Could Date Someone Like Him
Brand’s public comments about fatherhood later revealed that he had considered the possibility of his own daughters experiencing similar situations.
He became a father in 2016 when he welcomed his first daughter, Mabel, with his wife, Laura Gallacher.
The couple subsequently had another daughter, Peggy, and a son whose name has not been publicly disclosed.
Ahead of his 2017 comedy tour, Re:Birth, which explored his experiences as a father, Brand spoke about his concerns regarding his daughter’s future.
He said: “What am I going to tell my daughter about conformity and responsibility? What happens if she grows up to be like me or, worse, date someone like me?”
He also questioned how becoming parents changed people’s understanding of their lives.
“How do we make sense of the madness of our lives once we become parents?” he asked.
Discussing whether fatherhood had changed his outlook, he added: “Do you know, in some ways I do. That’s a good observation. It’s a wonderful experience being a dad!”
New Allegations Emerge Following Brand’s Conviction
The renewed attention on Brand’s past conduct comes after his conviction for rape and three counts of sexual assault.
He was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison at Southwark Crown Court earlier this week.
Separately, a joint investigation by The Times and The Sunday Times has reported fresh allegations from six additional women concerning incidents spanning approximately a decade.
The women have made allegations including sexual assault, coercive behaviour and humiliation.
One woman alleges that Brand had sex with her without her consent before subsequently apologising.
Another claims he continued having sex with her despite repeated requests to stop because she was experiencing pain.
A third woman alleges that he grabbed her by the throat and sexually assaulted her in a hotel room.
Another claims he attempted to pull her into a disabled toilet at a London venue in 2015.
The allegations have not been tested in court and are separate from the offences for which Brand was convicted.
Police Investigation Followed 2023 Media Investigation
Most of the six women reportedly first contacted journalists following the investigation jointly conducted by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches in September 2023.
That investigation prompted a Metropolitan Police inquiry into allegations involving the comedian.
Some of the latest claims had previously remained unpublished because of concerns that reporting them could prejudice the criminal proceedings against Brand.
The new allegations have emerged following his conviction and sentencing, adding to the scrutiny surrounding the former Hollywood actor and comedian.
