Russell Brand, Photo: Euan Cherry / Avalon / Profimedia
British actor and comedian Russell Brand is facing two new charges of rape and sexual assault in connection with two other women, according to the announcement made by the British police on Tuesday, AFP and BBC write.
Brand, 50, had pleaded not guilty to five counts, including two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent contact without consent, in relation to four women.
He is due to appear in court at Westminster Magistrates' Court on January 20 for the two new charges he faces.
British authorities began investigating the allegations against Brand following reports by the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4's Dispatches in September 2023.
The two new charges relate to alleged incidents in 2009 involving different women, prosecutors say.
The trial on the original five charges will begin on June 16, 2026 at Southwark Crown Court and relate to alleged acts between 1999 and 2005 in central London and Bournemouth.
One of the charges that the comedian is facing is that he raped a woman in Bournemouth in 1999. In two other cases he is accused of sexual assault on a woman in the Westminster area of London, between 2004-2005, respectively of rape, through an oral sex act, and sexual assault on another woman, in 2004, also in the Westminster area.
Brand, who was born in Essex, became known for his stand-up comedy shows and starred in films such as 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' and 'Get Him To The Greek'. He has hosted shows such as Big Mouth on Big Brother (UK) and has had radio programs on stations such as BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music.
