The Know Daily - Monday 18 September 2023

_{Monday 18 September ∙ Read in 5m 33s ∙ Listening to Cleo Sol}

Some un-baa-lievably good news for you this Monday: sheep have made their way back to Hampstead Heath! The creatures are on loan from Mudchute City Farm as part of a grazing trial aimed at making the iconic London location more biodiverse - and ewe have until the end of the day to catch them (we’re done now, we promise!).

📝 Russell Brand allegations

Broadcasters have launched investigations into Russell Brand’s historical conduct after the actor and comedian was accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse.

What has he been accused of?
The allegations, published on Saturday, were made in a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

Four women, including one who was 16 at the time, have alleged sexual assaults between 2006 and 2013. Brand was “at the height of his fame” during this period, said The Times, and worked as a presenter for BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4, and then as an actor in Hollywood films. Others made a range of accusations about Brand’s “controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour”.

The Times has said that more women have since come forward with allegations about Brand. The paper said the claims have not yet been investigated but will be “rigorously checked”.

How has Brand responded?
In a video statement released on Friday - the day before the allegations were published - Brand vehemently denied the claims and said his relationships have all been consensual.

Brand has built a “sprawling empire” on social media in recent years, said The Guardian, with videos that mix “wellness” and “spiritualism” with “conspiracy theories” and “anti-media messaging”. He has received public declarations of support from Twitter owner Elon Musk, as well as Andrew Tate, who is awaiting trial for rape and human trafficking.

What have broadcasters said?
Channel 4 said it was “appalled” to learn of the “deeply troubling allegations” about its former presenter and said it was conducting its own internal investigations. It has also removed Brand’s content from its streaming service. The BBC confirmed that it has begun its own investigations.

The Metropolitan Police said that it has “not received any reports” in relation to the allegations, and appealed for any potential victims to come forward, “no matter how long ago it happened”.

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