Is there a hidden agenda? Faced with allegations of sexual misconduct, Russell Brand has come out swinging. Some think he is leading a backlash against the MeToo movement itself.
Accusations mount as Brand fights back
Branded: The comedian insists all of his relationships have been “consensual”. Glossary
Russell Brand - An English actor and comedian. In 2023, he was accused of sexual assault.
Elon Musk - A South African-born entrepreneur whose companies have included the online payment service PayPal. He now controls Twitter, renamed 'X'.
Tucker Carlson - An American conservative broadcaster and TV show personality. He is best known for his former show on Fox News.
Andrew Tate - An American-British media personality who has become notorious for controversial videos. He has been charged with rape and human trafficking.
Katie Hopkins - An English media personality and far-right political commentator.
Conspiracy theories - Theories that explain world events by blaming shady groups of powerful people operating in secret. Some conspiracy theories have a basis in fact, but many more of them are completely invented. What is more, they often play on dangerous prejudices such as antisemitism. It's worth being especially cautious and critical when you come across accounts that ascribe enormous agency to small and secretive groups.
#MeToo movement - A campaign against sexual harassment and abuse often committed by people in positions of power. The movement took off after allegations of sexual abuse were made against American film producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017.