Dannii Minogue calls Russell Brand a ‘vile predator’ in resurfaced interview
Dannii Minogue labelled Russell Brand a ‘vile predator’ in 2006. (Getty)
Pop icon and I Kissed a Boy host Dannii Minogue slammed Russell Brand – the British comedian accused of sexual assault, rape and emotional abuse – as far back as 2006, labelling him “completely crazy”.
An investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 Dispatches sees four women accuse Brand, 48, of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse between 2006 and 2013, at the height of his fame.
The detailed allegations include the assault of a 16-year-old schoolgirl when Brand was 31; the rape of a women in Los Angeles, the sexual assault of another woman in Los Angeles; and the sexual assault as well as physical and emotional abuse of a fourth woman.
Brand, whose now hosts ‘anti-establishment’ YouTube series Stay Free with Russell Brand, refuted the allegations a day earlier, on Friday (15 September), saying his relations were always “absolutely consensual”. He added this was a “concerted campaign” from the mainstream media to try and silence him as an “alternative media broadcaster”.
lt has been claimed that his actions were an open secret in the industry. The BBC, Channel 4 and production firm Endemol – all of whom were instrumental in Brand’s rise to fame – have all now launched internal investigations into the refuted allegations.
One celebrity who was unafraid to speak her mind about Brand was Australian singer Dannii Minogue who called the A-List actor out back in 2006 in an interview with the Mirror.
Prior to the interview, Minogue had appeared on Brand’s MTV chatshow, 1 Leicester Square, during which he had leered over her “fabulous breasts” and pestered the pop icon for her phone number.
“He is completely crazy and a bit of a vile predator,” she said at the time. “I certainly don’t think he has cured his sex addiction, that’s for sure.
“He wouldn’t take no for an answer. He always goes that step too far. Never quite far enough to slap his face, but usually too far.
Mingoue added: “Throughout the whole interview, he kept making shocking remarks that I can’t even repeat. Just uttering the words would make me blush.”
Elsewhere in the Times’ investigation, Brand’s former personal assistant (from 2006) Helen Berger – who identifies as a lesbian – said that her manager told her being gay was a “plus” when working with the comedian, as they “wanted to make sure that I would be safe”.
According to Berger he would regularly show friends intimate photos of women, including people she knew, making her “feel really sick to my stomach”.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of sexual violence. If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
