Russell Brand allegations: YouTube stops celebrity making money on platform

Streaming site suspends adverts on star's channel, which has 6.6 million subscribers

A screen-grab taken from a video posted on YouTube in which Russell Brand denied criminal allegations. PA

YouTube has suspended adverts on Russell Brand’s account “following serious allegations against the creator”.

The move means the channel, which has 6.6 million subscribers, will no longer be able to make money from advertising on the platform.

It comes after the remaining shows of Brand's Bipolarisation tour were postponed in the wake of a string of serious allegations about his past behaviour.

The 48-year-old actor has been accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013, when he was at the height of his fame and working for the BBC, Channel 4 and starring in Hollywood films.

The allegations were revealed following a joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches.

He strongly denies the allegations, which also include claims of controlling, abusive and predatory behaviour.

“If a creator's off-platform behaviour harms our users, employees or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community,” a representative of Google-owned YouTube said.

“This decision applies to all channels that may be owned or operated by Russell Brand.”

On Monday, the Metropolitan Police said it had received a report of an alleged sexual assault dating from 2003 in the wake of media allegations about the comedian and actor.

“On Sunday September 17, the Met received a report of a sexual assault which was alleged to have taken place in Soho in central London in 2003,” the force said.

“Officers are in contact with the woman and will be providing her with support.

“We first spoke with The Sunday Times on Saturday September 16 and have since made further approaches to The Sunday Times and Channel 4 to ensure that anyone who believes they have been the victim of a sexual offence is aware of how to report this to the police.”

The woman who has reported the alleged sexual assault had not spoken to The Sunday Times.

A performance of Brand's tour scheduled for Tuesday at the Theatre Royal Windsor in Berkshire was postponed.

“We are postponing these few remaining addiction charity fund-raiser shows, we don't like doing it – but we know you'll understand,” the show's promoters said.

Performances had been scheduled for two more venues this month – The Pavilions in Plymouth on Friday and The Civic At The Halls in Wolverhampton next Thursday.

Brand usually posts a new show on the video platform Rumble on weekdays at 5pm, but there was no new episode on Monday with his most recent appearance a short clip on Friday when he denied the allegations against him which were published the following day.