Russell Brand and his wife Laura openly discussed his fear of prison on their podcast just days before his rape trial began.
Brand, 51, and Laura Gallacher, 39, recorded the Oct. 11 episode of “Sunday Service with the Brands” three days before jury selection started at Southwark Crown Court. During the show, Laura read a message from a supporter who had spent five years incarcerated and was praying for the comedian.
“You will get through it. The presence of God is everywhere — in prison as well,” the supporter wrote.
Brand interrupted his wife by tapping her shoulder. “I don’t like things where it’s like, you might have to go to prison,” he said on the podcast.
Laura replied, “No, I know,” then told her husband, “that’s the nature of what a trial is.” Brand agreed and acknowledged that his trial could end in a possible prison sentence. “That’s one of the challenges,” he continued.
At the episode’s conclusion, the couple prayed to God “for peace and love and for all the participants in this trial or any trial.”
On Thursday, a jury found Brand guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault following a four-week trial. Justice Joel Bennathan told him he will receive a “significant” prison sentence. Brand was acquitted of two additional rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault.
Laura was present in the courtroom when the verdict came in, holding hands with a female companion and reportedly becoming emotional. She left without Brand, who was denied bail and placed in a holding cell to await sentencing.
The former “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” actor had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The seven counts he faced — three of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault — stemmed from alleged incidents involving six women between 1999 and 2009. The allegations first surfaced in a 2023 Sunday Times exposé.
Laura testified on Oct. 29 in her husband’s defense, calling him a “caring, kind and a wonderful father to our children” in remarks reported. “We have a very honest, frank, and clear relationship and marriage,” she said in court. “It is one of the most important parts of our marriage, and our relationship has always been honest,” she added.
The couple, who married in 2017, share three children. Brand was previously married to singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2011.
Following the verdict, The Met Police said they are investigating Brand for additional rape allegations made by two women. UK legal expert Kally Sahota said that Brand could receive nearly ten years behind bars.
The podcaster spent his first night in custody after the verdict, with reports describing him as “petrified” and “humiliated” by the sudden confinement.
Brand and Laura’s prison discussion came during a period when the couple had been presenting a united public front. Their podcast, which blends spiritual themes with personal conversation, became a platform where they addressed the looming trial directly with listeners.
The rape and sexual assault convictions mark a dramatic fall for the performer, who built a career in stand-up comedy, Hollywood films, and later, political commentary and wellness podcasting. His YouTube channel and various media ventures attracted millions of followers before the 2023 allegations emerged.
Brand will be sentenced on Monday.