The Sunday Times reports that a number of women are accusing Russell Brand of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse across a seven-year period that coincides with the height of his fame.

The newspaper - which conducted a joint investigation with Channel 4's Dispatches documentary strand - says: "Four women have alleged sexual assaults between 2006 and 2013, while he was a presenter for BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4 and then an actor in Hollywood films. Others have made a range of accusations about Brand's controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour."

Brand has denied these allegations, saying all relationships he has had have been consensual.

The Sunday Times notes: "One woman alleges that Brand raped her against a wall in his Los Angeles home. She was treated at a rape crisis centre on the same day, according to medical records. Text messages show that in the hours after leaving his house, she told Brand that she had been scared by him and felt taken advantage of, adding: 'When a girl say[s] NO it means no.' Brand replied saying he was 'very sorry'.

"A second woman alleges that Brand assaulted her when he was 31 and she was 16 and still at school. She said he referred to her as 'the child' during an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship that lasted for about three months, and that Brand once 'forced his penis down her throat', making her choke. She says she tried to push him off and said she had to punch him in the stomach to make him stop.

"A third woman claims that he sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles, and that he threatened to take legal action if she told anyone else about her allegation.

"The fourth described being sexually assaulted by Brand and him being physically and emotionally abusive towards her.

"All said they felt ready to speak only after being approached by reporters. Several said they felt compelled to do so given Brand's newfound prominence as an online wellness influencer, with millions of followers on YouTube and other sites.

"The others have accused him of physical and emotional abuse, sexual harassment and bullying.

"Most of the women, who do not know each other, have chosen to remain anonymous."

As part of their story, The Times has published detailed accounts from the women.

A 90 minutes Dispatches documentary special focusing on the investigation and allegations is due to air on Channel 4 at 9pm today (Saturday 16th September).

Below is a trailer for the documentary:

In a video posted on his social media platforms last night, including on YouTube where the video is titled So, This Is Happening, Brand confirmed he'd received a letter and an email from "a mainstream media TV company" and a newspaper containing "very serious allegations". Within the 2 minute 46 second clip, in which he repeatedly denied the then-unspecified allegations, he said: "I don't mind them using my books and my stand-up to talk about my promiscuous consensual conduct in the past, what I seriously refute are these very, very serious criminal allegations."

In recent years, Brand has built an online following of over 6 million people by posting videos which media outlets like The Independent have labelled as "trading in fake news". Recent titles of his posts have included "Trump charged again! But what about 'corrupt' Biden?" and "Hang on, were vaccine mandates based on a lie!".

In last night's video, Brand appeared to be suggesting that the motives of The Sunday Times and Channel 4 are to silence his online channels. He said: "Is there another agenda at play, particularly when we've seen coordinated media attacks before like with Joe Rogan when he dared to take a medicine that the mainstream media didn't approve of? And we saw a spate of headlines from media outlets across the world using the same language. I'm aware that you guys have been saying in the comments for a while, 'watch out Russell, they're coming for you, you're getting too close to the truth'; 'Russell Brand did not kill himself'. I know that a year ago, there was a spate of articles: Russell Brand's a conspiracy theorist, Russell Brand's right wing. I'm aware of news media making phone calls, sending letters to people I know for ages and ages, it's been clear to me, or at least it feels to me, there's a serious and concerted agenda to control these kinds of spaces and these kinds of voices, and I'm in my voice along with your voice."

Brand has been dropped by his agents, Tavistock Wood. Responding to The Times, they said: "Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020 [when one of the women contacted the agency], but we now believe we were horribly misled by him. Tavistock Wood has terminated all professional ties to Brand."

Meanwhile Channel 4, responding to the fact he had appeared on their channel many times, including in 2019 on a celebrity edition of The Great British Bake Off, commented: "Channel 4 is appalled to learn of these deeply troubling allegations including behaviour alleged to have taken place on programmes made for Channel 4 between 2004 and 2007. We are determined to understand the full nature of what went on. We have carried out extensive document searches and have found no evidence to suggest the alleged incidents were brought to the attention of Channel 4. We will continue to review this in light of any further information we receive, including the accounts of those affected individuals. We will be asking the production company who produced the programmes for Channel 4 to investigate these allegations and report their findings properly and satisfactorily to us."

Brand is scheduled to appear on stage tonight at 7pm at the Troubadour Wembley venue, for a performance of his Biopolarisation tour show. At the time of writing the performance would appear to still be going ahead.