Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault.
Brand, 49, was arraigned at Southwark Crown Court in London at 10.30 a.m. local time on Friday, May 30, wearing dark sunglasses, a grey suit and an unbuttoned shirt.
The comedian and actor spoke to confirm his name, then entered a plea of "not guilty" to one charge of rape, one of oral rape and three counts of sexual assault.
At the close of the 10-minute hearing, Brand was bailed ahead of a trial starting June 3, 2026, that's expected to last up to 5 weeks.
The hearing comes after Brand appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Friday, May 2, where he was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring.
Brand was first charged by London's Metropolitan Police on April 4, after four women came forward to allege that he sexually assaulted them in England between 1999 and 2005.
One of his accusers claims she was raped by Brand in southern England in 1999. A second accuser claims that he sexually assaulted and orally raped her at an address in London in 2004.
"The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers," said Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, said at the time. "The Met's investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police."
The accusations follwed a 2023 joint investigation by U.K, newspapers The Sunday Times and The Times and Channel 4 current affairs show Dispatches, which focused on the claims of five women over events that took place between 2006 and 2013 -- including one woman who was 16 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
"I've received two extremely disturbing letters, or a letter and an email, one from a mainstream media TV company, one from a newspaper, listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks," Brand posted on social media ahead of the story's release. "But amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute."