Russell Brand says he had ‘exploitative’ consensual sex with girl, 16, at height of his fame

Russell Brand said he had “exploitative” consensual sex with a 16-year-old girl at the height of his fame.

The comedian, actor and podcaster, 50, will be tried in the autumn over allegations of rape and sexual assault made against him by six women. Brand denies all the charges, which date from 1999 to 2009. Speaking about his past actions in an appearance on the YouTube show of the US journalist Megyn Kelly, Brand described himself “selfish” and an “exploiter of women”.

He said: “I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30. When I was 30, I was a very different person. I was a lot younger, and I was an immature 30-year-old.”

He added: “Consensual sex with a lot of people, when there is a strong power differential, as there is when you are a famous man who has the ability to attract women that I had at that time, I think involves exploitation. I think it is exploitative.

“I recognise that my sexual conduct in the past was selfish and I did not apply enough consideration, barely any I suppose, really, to how that sex was affecting other people.”

The age of consent in the UK is 16, unless it is with an adult in a “position of trust” such as a teacher, social worker, sports coach or doctor, in which case the age of consent is 18.

Brand, who hosted Big Brother spin-off shows, had his own BBC Radio 2 programme and starred in a number of Hollywood films, is facing three charges of rape, three allegations of sexual assault and one charge of indecent assault.

His trial at Southwark crown court is scheduled to begin on 12 October, when his six accusers will speak about the claims and he will have the chance to give evidence.

A court has previously heard that Brand is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she attended a Labour party conference in Bournemouth, grabbing a TV worker’s breasts and orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet, and kissing and groping a radio worker after pushing her against a wall.

Brand, who has a home in Buckinghamshire but now lives in the US, is on bail while he awaits his trial.