Russell Brand says he has now tracked down the Bible verse he was trying to reference during that widely shared exchange with Piers Morgan.
Brand recently appeared on Morgan’s Uncensored, but the conversation became uncomfortable when Morgan questioned why Brand had brought a Bible to court. The Despicable Me actor is currently set to face trial on three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault — allegations he denies.
With the Bible also beside him during the sit-down, Morgan asked: “Was that the one you took into court? You were seen looking at some passages. What were the relevant passages to you?”
“It was this from Isiah…” Brand replied as he flipped through the pages of the religious text.
The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star then searched through the Bible for more than a minute as the studio fell silent, creating a tense pause that viewers quickly picked up on.
Clips of the moment circulated rapidly online, with many describing the segment as difficult to watch.
Brand didn’t manage to locate the passage during the interview, but said he eventually found it two days later.
He wrote on Twitter yesterday (April 26): “Wait! @piersmorgan. I’ve found that verse!!
“The really important thing is that we, you, me all of us are loved. And not because of anything we have accomplished or ever could achieve. But because of who loves us.”
He then posted a video reading the verse he had intended to share during the show.
The verse, Isaiah 43:19, reads: “Forget the former things. Do not dwell on the past. See I’m doing a new thing. Now it springs up, do you perceive it? I’m making a way in the wilderness in streams in the wasteland.”
Brand also explained why the passage resonates with him and how he believes its imagery connects to modern life, arguing that the “wasteland” described in Isaiah can be understood as today’s culture.
Wait! @piersmorgan I’ve found that verse!!
The really important thing is that we, you, me all of us are loved.
And not because of anything we have accomplished or ever could achieve.
But because of who loves us. pic.twitter.com/bbtRMTJLO9
— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) April 26, 2026
He asked: “Do you not think that our culture needs a new thing to spring up? That our whole culture is a bit like a wasteland?”
At the time of writing, the video has been watched more than 2,000,000 times.
Brand’s trial had been due to start on June 16, but following additional charges brought in January, Sky News reported the case is now scheduled for October at Southwark Crown Court, where he will face all seven charges.
The hearing is expected to run for roughly two months.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org.