Adventurer and television presenter Bear Grylls has publicly responded to the conviction of Russell Brand, saying justice has now been served and describing the women who came forward as "heroes of the day." Grylls posted his reaction on X after a jury found the comedian guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
The offences involved four women and took place between 2004 and 2009 in London. The jury found Brand guilty of raping a 21-year-old fan in 2009. He was cleared of two rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault. The trial was held at Southwark Crown Court and lasted four weeks. Brand, 51, maintains that he is innocent of all the charges brought against him.
The verdict split the outcome of the case across several counts, with the jury accepting the complaint of one woman as a rape and reaching guilty findings on three sexual assault counts while acquitting Brand on the remaining charges. The mixed result means that only some of the allegations heard in court ended in conviction, a detail that will shape how the sentence is framed when the judge considers the offences.
Brand has been refused bail and remains in custody until he is sentenced. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, November 9, and the court will then set the penalty for the offences for which he was convicted. Police are also investigating two further rape allegations against him, so the legal process has not yet fully closed for the authorities.
Grylls's comments carry extra weight because of his own involvement with Brand's religious life. Brand was baptized in May 2024, and Grylls had privately baptized him, standing beside him at the ceremony along with a friend. Grylls has said that Brand's faith seemed genuine at the time, and he has described attending several baptisms and visiting prisons as part of his own faith-based work. That background is the reason his public reaction to the verdict has drawn attention beyond the courtroom.
In his post, Grylls framed the verdict as a moment of accountability for the women who testified. Calling them heroes, he emphasized the courage it takes to speak publicly about abuse, particularly in a high-profile case that drew wide attention throughout the trial. His statement also marked a shift from his earlier position on Brand's sincerity, as the conviction now places the question of Brand's conduct, rather than his faith, at the centre of public debate.