Russell Brand: comedian denies sexual assault and exposure allegations on set of Arthur

Russell Brand has denied allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman on the set of the 2011 film Arthur.

The unidentified woman made the accusations in a civil lawsuit filed in November 2023, in which she claimed the actor exposed himself to her and assaulted her while on set in 2010. However, Brand's lawyers have said that the woman's claims are "premised on the false claim" that he was drunk or intoxicated at the time, stating that Brand was sober at the time of filming.

The woman claimed in the lawsuit that Brand "appeared intoxicated, smelled of alcohol, and was carrying a bottle of vodka on set" before exposing himself in full view of cast and crew. Brand starred in the film as lead character Arthur Bach, an immature and often drunk man, with his lawyers saying that the woman who filed the lawsuit appeared to be "unable to distinguish acting from reality".

His legal papers, filed on Tuesday February 13, stated that the open alcohol bottle was a prop and said that at the time of filming, Brand had not consumed alcohol or drugs for around eight years. His lawyer's added: "Famously, the character, Arthur Bach, originally played by Dudley Moore in the 1981 comedy, Arthur, is a drunk. Brand, an actor and comedian, played the same role in the 2010 remake. While Brand's job was to act drunk and portray a drunk the film, he did not drink a sip of alcohol or consume any drugs at any time during production."

She also claimed that Brand had followed her into an on-set bathroom and assaulted her, with a production crew member guarding the door from the outside. Brand denied the allegations, saying that he did not recognise her name or photograph, nor had any recollection of an interaction with her. His lawyers added that the woman's "faulty memory of the events she alleged in her complaint - more than 13 years after they supposedly happened - is fatal to her claims".

Brand was at the centre of sexual assault and rape allegations between 2006 and 2013 following an investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches. The Metropolitan Police are continuing to investigate claims against the comedian, and have questioned him in relation to nine alleged incidences. Brand has denied any wrongdoing and stated previously that all of his relationships have always been "consensual".