Publisher Pauses All Future Books by Russell Brand Amid Rape and Assault Allegations
Bluebird, an imprint of Pan Macmillan and the publisher of Russell Brand’s upcoming self-help book, has announced a halt to all future publications by the comedian. This decision comes in the wake of serious allegations of rape and sexual assault against Brand.
The controversy centers around four women who have accused Russell Brand of sexually assaulting them between 2006 and 2013. These allegations were made public in a joint investigation by the Sunday Times, the Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches.
Bluebird, set to release Brand’s new book titled “Recovery: The Workbook: A Practical Guide to Finding Freedom from Our Addictions” in December, issued a statement saying, “These are very serious allegations, and in the light of them, Bluebird has taken the decision to pause all future publishing with Russell Brand,” as reported by The Bookseller.
Russell Brand’s 2017 self-help book, “Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions,” based on the 12-step program, was published by Bluebird. It remains unclear whether the publisher will continue to distribute this title, as the book is still listed on its website.
Meanwhile, Hodder & Stoughton, an imprint of Hachette and the publisher of Brand’s 2007 memoir “My Booky Wook,” confirmed they have no plans for further collaborations with the comedian. The memoir, “My Booky Wook,” is still available for sale.
Similarly, Brand’s 2014 politics book, “Revolution,” published by Arrow, an imprint of Penguin, is still featured on Penguin’s website. However, the publisher has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the future of this title.
In response to the allegations, Russell Brand released an online video denying any wrongdoing, stating that all his relationships had been consensual. He also accused the media of orchestrating a “coordinated attack.”
One of the women, who claims that Brand assaulted her when she was 16 and still in school in 2020, reported his behavior to his literary agent, Angharad Wood. Wood co-founded Tavistock Wood, owned by the talent agency Curtis Brown. She reportedly received an “aggressive” response from a lawyer representing Brand, who denied the allegations and accused her of seeking financial gain.
Following the Times’ contact with Tavistock Wood, Brand was removed from both the Tavistock Wood and Curtis Brown websites. In response, Tavistock Wood released a statement: “Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him. Tavistock Wood has terminated all professional ties to Brand.”