Nigel Farage appeared on Russell Brand’s US podcast nine months after the comedian was investigated by police over allegations of sexual assault, the Guardian has learned.
asserted
Guardian → appear → assault
The Reform UK leader has criticised Labour for “cosying up to” and “promoting” Brand a decade ago, after the comedian was sentenced this week to more than 10 years in prison for rape and sexual assault.
asserted
comedian → criticise → rape
It has now emerged that Farage was a guest on Brand’s online show in July 2024 – months after the sexual assault allegations were made public, but before he was charged in April 2025.
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he → emerge → April
During the episode, Farage laughed with Brand about their shared interests in taking on the establishment and suggested the west had provoked Vladimir Putin into the Ukraine war because “what you don’t do with a Russian bear is deliberately poke it with a stick”.
uncertain
do → laugh → stick
Farage was aware of the serious sexual assault allegations against Brand at the time because he had commented on them on GB News the previous year, but they were not mentioned in the episode.
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they → comment → episode
Sitting on a sofa together, alongside Dan Bongino, a Donald Trump supporter, and Charlie Kirk, the rightwing activist later murdered, Farage spoke of how “the old left-right divides” were being blown out of the water.
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divides → sit → water
He claimed that cancel culture meant people saying racist or homophobic things were “cancelled” but contempt for the white working class was allowed.
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contempt → claim → class
At the end of the show, Brand said: “Nigel, thank you for this impromptu opportunity to speak and I hope we get more chances to speak.”
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we → say → chances
A number of women accused Brand of sexual assault in a joint Sunday Times, Times and Channel 4 exposé in September 2023, and the comedian was subsequently interviewed under caution by police that autumn.
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comedian → accuse → police
On GB News in September 2023, Farage said he was not a big fan of Brand but would not prejudge him and remarked on the comedian having “upset big government” and powerful men such as Bill Gates, an apparent reference to Brand’s anti-vaccine views.
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comedian → say → views
On the allegations against the host, Farage said there was “no evidence being produced” and then referred to four or five women having come forward.
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women → say → host
He added: “I’m not here to prejudge his guilt or his innocence, but there are many other things in his own autobiography that he’s written about his behaviour with women that are disturbing, abusive and not very pretty.”
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that → add → women
Asked about his appearance with Brand, a spokesperson for Farage said: “Nigel regrets his appearance on the show.
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Nigel → ask → show
His thoughts are with the victims who have suffered immensely because of what Russell Brand has done.”
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Brand → suffer → what
Reform sources said it was not a planned appearance, and he was pulled into the room during a visit to the US.
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he → say → US
Since the verdict, Farage has commented on the allegations against Brand on Australia’s News 24, saying: “It’s very difficult isn’t it, because this is two decades old, it’s ‘he said, she said’, although there’s more than one she.
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she → comment → News
So these cases are always very difficult for us to judge at a distance because there is no actual hard evidence.”
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us → judge → distance
However, he came out in support of Jemima Goldsmith, a former partner of Brand, who has accused him of assault.
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who → come → assault
Farage said she was known to him and he believed her account of Brand being violent and abusive, adding: “The judicial system has proved to have actually worked.”
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system → say → account
He also criticised Labour for failing to apologise for “cosying up” to Brand a decade ago.
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He → criticise → Brand
It is not the first time Farage has met a man accused of abusive behaviour.
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Farage → meet → behaviour
The Reform UK leader was pictured with Andrew Tate, the misogynist influencer, in 2019.
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leader → picture → 2019
Tate was charged with rape and human trafficking in 2023, and the UK is now seeking to extradite him from the US.
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UK → charge → US
Tate denies the allegations.
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Tate → deny → allegations
Farage spoke in favour of Tate for defending “male culture” in a Strike It Big podcast which aired in February 2024, while acknowledging that the influencer had gone “over the top” and that he had said some “pretty horrible” things.
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he → speak → things
Asked about his podcast appearance and comments on Tate, Farage said: “There’s an awakening in a younger generation who have had enough of being dictated to, have had enough of being lectured to.
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who → ask → enough
They’re seeing through the rubbish they’re getting taught in schools and universities.
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they → see → schools
If no other politician is willing to reach out to this group of people, then I will.”
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I → reach → people
The Aporia
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