Russell Brand has said he is “incredibly moved” by the “ongoing support” of his fans – following sexual abuse allegations against him.
In his latest post on video platform Rumble, he said: “Thank you for joining us, I can hardly express my gratitude towards you sufficiently, and thank you for the ongoing support, all of you, I’m incredibly, incredibly moved by it.”
Brand also urged people to subscribe to his channel at a time “where your support becomes absolutely essential”.
The Rumble video is the second Brand has recorded this week and looks to be a return to his usual nightly routine of livestreams on the platform, on which he has more than 1.4m followers.
The comedian also accused the “legacy media” of being in “lockstep” with each other to “support a state agenda” and “silence independent media voices”.
Ahead of the publication of the claims, he released a video on the platform in which he preemptively addressed the allegations and said all of his relationships were consensual.
On Friday, he released a second clip on Rumble in which he claimed the British government had “asked big tech platforms to censor our online content”.
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Russell Brand appears on Rumble
YouTube, owned by Google, demonetised Brand’s channel in the wake of the allegations against him.
However, Rumble, a video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups, has not demonetised Brand.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the House of Commons media committee, wrote to Rumble to ask if it would be stopping Brand from earning advertising revenue on the platform.
In her letter to Rumble’s founder and chief executive Chris Pavlovski, Dame Dinenage wrote: “We would be grateful if you could confirm whether Mr Brand is able to monetise his content, including his videos relating to the serious accusations against him.
“If so, we would like to know whether Rumble intends to join YouTube in suspending Mr Brand’s ability to earn money on the platform.
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Russell Brand denies ‘serious allegations’
“We would also like to know what Rumble is doing to ensure that creators are not able to use the platform to undermine the welfare of victims of inappropriate and potentially illegal behaviour.”
“While Rumble obviously deplores sexual assault, rape, and all serious crimes, and believes that both alleged victims and the accused are entitled to a full and serious investigation, it is vital to note that recent allegations against Russell Brand have nothing to do with the content on Rumble’s platform,” the platform said in a statement.
“We regard it as deeply inappropriate and dangerous that the UK parliament would attempt to control who is allowed to speak on our platform or to earn a living from doing so.
“Singling out an individual and demanding his ban is even more disturbing, given the absence of any connection between the allegations and his content on Rumble.
“Although it may be politically and socially easier for Rumble to join a cancel culture mob, doing so would be a violation of our company’s values and mission.
“We emphatically reject the UK parliament’s demands.”
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On Monday, the Metropolitan Police said a number of sexual offence claims relating to London and elsewhere in the UK following media reports about Brand.
The London force said the allegations were all non-recent.
A statement said: “Following an investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times, the Met has received a number of allegations of sexual offences in London.
“We have also received a number of allegations of sexual offences committed elsewhere in the country and will investigate these.”
There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.
Prince William has posted a picture of him and his father, King Charles, playing football to mark Father’s Day.
In the photograph, the young prince smiles as he and the future monarch stand in a garden.
The royal youngster is pictured wearing dungarees and a striped shirt, while Charles looks relaxed in a double-breasted suit jacket.
The picture of the two future kings was taken on 12 June, 1984 in the gardens of Kensington Palace.
Later that same year William would gain a younger brother, with the Duke of Sussex born in September.
As well as marking Father’s Day, the football-themed image is perhaps a nod to England’s opening match in the Euros, which takes place on Sunday night.
Gareth Southgate has said he “expects everybody to enjoy the football” when asked about the heightened security risk of England’s opening Euros match against Serbia.
The England manager was responding to a question at a pre-match news conference on Saturday about the decision to ramp up security measures for today’s game in Gelsenkirchen.
Asked for his message to supporters, he said: “I expect everybody to enjoy the football.
“I’ve been fortunate to be involved in a lot of tournaments, and travel to tournaments I’ve not been directly involved in.
“They’re great carnivals of football – an opportunity to see a different part of the world and meet people from other parts of the world, have a brilliant time, so I’m sure everybody is coming to do that.”
He added: “I hope the whole of Europe can come together for the brilliant game that we’re involved in and support their team.”
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England-Serbia match ‘high risk’
Officials have designated England’s opening fixture as a “high-risk” event, with fans served lower-alcohol beer in the stadium and banned from drinking in the stands.
More than 300,000 British fans are travelling to Germanyfor Euro 2024, making it their highest attendance since Euro 2016 in France.
Policing the first game has been made more challenging by UEFAasking for the barriers to be removed inside the stadium, with both sides being seated closer together, and two-thirds of tickets going to mixed areas.
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Southgate ‘relaxed’ that this is likely his final Euros
Entering his fourth tournament as England manager, Gareth Southgate is looking to the future.
There is 20-year-old Jude Bellingham being appointed to the leadership group.
A squad with only half its players retained from the 2022 World Cup.
And the manager himself is looking at a time when the Three Lions dugout is filled by someone else.
“I hate to put pressure on all the coaches,” the 53-year-old said. “But it could be the last tournament for all of them.”
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German police Chief Inspector Christof Burghardt told Sky News previously: “I think it’s a very high-risk game because of the history, because of the hooligans both sides have.
“Serbia has many hooligans. The English guys, with alcohol, they are sometimes very aggressive. So it’s a great job to do this, to prepare, so that hopefully nothing will happen.”
Footballing deaths a ‘great shock’
At the joint news conference with captain Harry Kane on Saturday, Southgate was also asked about the deaths announced today of two footballing figures – former Arsenal and Everton star Kevin Campell and Millwall and Montenegro goalkeeper Matija Sarkic.
Southgate said “both pieces of news were received with shock and great sadness”, acknowledging that the England players who have played with Sarkic are “feeling that even more”.
He recalled playing with Campbell, who died aged 54, at Arsenal, describing him as a “hugely popular man”.
“Kevin was the same age as me… his son has been in our junior pathway as well. Our thoughts are very much with his family at this time,” he said.
Both men said they are expecting Sunday’s game to be a challenge.
Kane told reporters: “We’re expecting a really tough game.”
Southgate added: “There are a lot of good teams in this tournament and we have to be exceptional to progress, firstly through the group, and then to have the opportunity to go further.”
Entering his fourth tournament as England manager, Gareth Southgate is looking to the future.
There is 20-year-old Jude Bellingham being appointed to the leadership group.
A squad with only half its players retained from the 2022 World Cup.
And the manager himself is looking at a time when the Three Lions dugout is filled by someone else.
“I hate to put pressure on all the coaches,” the 53 year old said. “But it could be the last tournament for all of them.
“So this is the world we’re in. I’m probably more relaxed about it because I’ve been to three. I know exactly what it involves, I know the events you have to deal with.”
Events that begin on Sunday night in Gelsenkirchen with their Euro 2024 group opener against Serbia.
It is three years since they went all the way in the competition – reaching the final at Wembley only to lose in the shootout to Italy.
Since then there has been Qatar, where England couldn’t make it to the last-four as they did at the 2018 World Cup – losing the quarter-final to France.
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It could be France posing the greatest threat again, although hosts Germany were formidable in the 5-1 humbling of Scotland in the Euros curtain-raiser on Friday night.
What chance is there of a first trophy for England’s men since 1966?
“We’ve earned the right to be, I guess, classed as one of the favourites,” captain Harry Kane said.
“Ultimately, we’re here to win it. And there will be nothing better for us and the nation itself if we do that.”
It would be a first career trophy for Kane whose move to Germany in the last year, to play for Bayern Munich, has unexpectedly not produced silverware for the former Tottenham striker.
“I think winning a major tournament with England would be one of the pinnacles of anyone’s career so that is the aim,” he said.
“For me personally, the trophies haven’t quite happened yet but it just makes me more determined and hungry to go out there and do that.”
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Kane and Southgate talk ahead of first match
And no player scored more goals in Europe last season than Kane – netting 44 times in all competitions.There was an impressive debut season with an England teammate – Bellingham scoring 23 goals for Real Madrid when not even a centre forward and only just out of his teens.
Now the prolific duo are linking up again for their country.
Kane said: “I think we complement each other really well. Whether one of us is dropping deep, the other one running in behind and vice versa.
“So an amazing player to play with. He likes to get in the box, he likes to affect games and score goals, which is always important for an attacking midfielder.
“So I think the more we train with each other, the more we play with each other, hopefully that relationship can get even stronger. But it’s so strong already.”
Southgate has also brought Bellingham into the leadership group with Kane, midfielder Declan Rice and defender Kyle Walker.
“There’s a different dynamic to this group,” Southgate said. “There’s a lot of younger players, and I want to make sure that the voices of the younger players, that I’m really in touch with that as well.
“So I don’t want to leave here with any stone unturned. I don’t want to have missed anything.
“And, it’s always important to know what the players are thinking. They have good views. They have good experiences.
“And also, there will be some decisions that I will take without talking to any of them.”