Russell Brand appears in court for start of rape trial
BBC News reports on the court appearance of Russell Brand for his rape and sexual assault trial. The comedian and actor is charged with three counts of rape, three charges of sexual assault, and one allegation of indecent assault, alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2009.
The trial at Southwark Crown Court in London has begun with jury selection and is expected to last up to 10 weeks. Brand, who arrived at court wearing a grey suit and sunglasses, pleaded not guilty during pre-trial hearings.
He rose to fame as a stand-up comedian and hosted shows like Big Brother's Big Mouth, in addition to having his own radio programs on stations including BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music. Brand later established a Hollywood career with films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek. He now resides in Florida, U.S.
You can follow the trial daily via the BBC podcast Fame Under Fire: Russell Brand on Trial.