'Disgusting' Russell Brand Slammed After Admitting to Sleeping With a 16-Year-Old 'When I Was 30' — As Comic Reveals He 'Exploited' Women
Russell Brand has admitted sleeping with a 16-year-old when he was 30 while discussing his past sexual encounters.
April 23 2026, Published 8:16 a.m. ET
Russell Brand has admitted to sleeping with a 16-year-old when he was 30, dubbing the move "exploitative," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The disgraced British actor, 50, claims he slept with the teenager at the height of his fame but insists his actions were not against the law.
'I Was An Immature 30-Year-Old'
Brand explained why he is now a different person compared to when he was 30.
The Get Him to the Greek star, who is facing trial this autumn over allegations of rape and sexual assault made against him by six women, which he denies, spoke about his past sexual encounters during an appearance on Megyn Kelly's podcast on Wednesday, April 22.
He said: "In Europe and the United Kingdom, where I'm from, the age of consent is 16, and I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30.
"When I was 30, I was a very different person. I was a lot younger, and I was an immature 30-year-old."
He continued: "Consensual sex with a lot of people, when there is a strong power differential, as there is when you are a famous man who has the ability to attract women that I had at that time, I think involves exploitation. I think it is exploitative."
'My Sexual Conduct In The Past Was Selfish'
The shamed comic opened up to Megyn Kelly on her show.
"I recognize that my sexual conduct in the past was selfish and I did not apply enough consideration, barely any I suppose, really, to how that sex was affecting other people," he added.
Brand's admission was quickly condemned by fans on social media.
Writing on X, one user said: "Legal age of consent does not mean grown adult men should be able to sleep with teenage girls," while another vented: "Absolutely sickened to hear this."
A third chimed in: "Did Russell Brand really just voluntarily cancel himself?" as another called out the 'disgusting" actor.
Brand is facing three charges of rape, three allegations of sexual assault, and one charge of indecent assault.
His trial is set to begin on October 12, when his six accusers will speak about the claims, and he will, in turn, have the chance to give evidence.
A court has previously heard how Brand is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she attended a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, England, in 1999, grabbing a TV worker's breasts and orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet in 2004.
Brand, who was previously married to pop star Katy Perry, also faces claims he grabbed the face of a radio station worker, pushing her against a wall and kissing her before groping her buttocks and breasts.
While attending his last court hearing, carrying a bible and donning an unbuttoned animal print shirt and a white hat. When asked how he felt outside court, he told reporters: "Blessed."
'I Was An Exploiter Of Women'
Brand says fame gave him 'endless consent.'
While speaking on Kelly's show, Brand suggested that, as a younger man, he was among the "innocuous party boy-style exploiters of women."
He said: "It's plainly something that exists within our industry, and one might say culture at large.
"While I was transgressing lines of being as a person that was sleeping with people because I had availability to – not only by the way with waitresses and strippers and fans and people, but powerful women as well, powerful professional women that had gravitas and status and power – I was only really thinking of myself."
He continued: "I had consensual sex with lots and lots of women, and you can argue that's not appropriate, but the age of consent is an important thing and the ability to consent is an important thing."
"What fame gave me, and what addiction fuelled, was opportunity for endless consent, which led me to be a hedonist and a fool and an exploiter of women."
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The canceled comic has turned to religion in recent years.
"That is wrong, and something that needs to be redeemed and addressed, and atoned for," Brand said.
"What I'm obviously not only querying, but violently or aggressively or assertively opposing, is the idea this is a judicial criminal matter where consent was overridden.
"Actually, what happened was consent was directed. That's what being famous and being charismatic affords you: the ability to direct consent."
Brand said: "That doesn't mean it's right, it's actually not right, it's wrong. It's a sin, it's an expression of selfishness and forced idolatry."
