Bear Grylls breaks silence on Russell Brand after rape conviction

Published 13:13 6 Nov 2026 GMT

Grylls admitted that 'Brand’s faith seemed genuine to me at the time'

Warning: This article contains discussion of rape and sexual which some readers may find distressing.

Bear Grylls says ‘justice has now been served’ following Russell Brand’s conviction of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

The TV adventurer, 52, was baptised by Brand, 51, in the River Thames months after a 2023 investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 reported allegations of sexual misconduct against the actor and comedian.

“Brand’s faith seemed genuine to me at the time when I was a guest at his private baptism,” Grylls - real name Edward Michael Grylls - wrote in a tweet on Friday morning (6 November).

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“I have attended a few now. Even visiting in prisons with people who have committed terrible crimes.

“It's part of our calling as men and women of faith, to love and serve anyone. It is the sick that need healing.”

Brand captioned the post, 'Me, Bear Grylls, The River Thames and of course, The Holy Spirit' (Instagram/@russellbrand)

Grylls, who struck up a friendship with Brand when he appeared on his reality show Running Wild, added: “Judgement is for the courts and God… I wouldn’t want to ever discourage someone’s coming to faith.

“It is right that justice has now been served.

“I can’t imagine how hard this time has been for the victims, the heroes of the day.”

At the time of the baptism in 2024, Brand shared a photo on his Instagram page of Grylls and a third man hugging the comedian in the River Thames.

Brand captioned the post: “Me, Bear Grylls, The River Thames and of course, The Holy Spirit.”

After receiving backlash over the baptism, Grylls told Metro in August 2026 that ‘I think all our faith changes and evolves, and I’d also say I have many doubts as well'. He added: "I really struggle with so much of it."

Brand's sentencing will be on Monday (Toby Shepheard / AFP via Getty Images)

“But I don’t know, I think at heart, my faith says we’re connected together and we need each other, and not to judge people and to love people,” he said.

While using the phrase, ‘What would Christ do?’, Grylls said: “I really try and keep that as that compass in my life. I don’t know. It’s like I say, I’m not super religious, but I do try and just start the day as a discipline on my knees and to say sorry, and to say thank you, and then to say help for the day ahead, and then I crack on with it.”

On Thursday, a jury convicted Brand of four offences committed against four different women between 2004 and 2009.

He was found not guilty on three other counts, which included two charges of rape and one of attempted indecent assault.

Brand was found guilty on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

David Roberts, Senior Crown Prosecutor in the London Rape and Serious Sexual Assault Unit, said: “Russell Brand was predatory and used his celebrity status to commit sexual crimes. He was a manipulator with an insatiable desire to get what he wanted regardless of whether consent was given or not.

“As his career took off, he seized opportunities to assault the women around him. Although his tactics varied, at the centre of every assault was an abuse of power and sexual greed, with a complete disregard for the impact of his actions.

“I would like to thank all the women in this case for their courage in coming forward and seeing this sexual abuser brought to justice.”

Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley said he would not be surprised if ‘many more’ alleged victims now came forward.

Brand remains in custody ahead of his sentencing on Monday.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.

Featured Image Credit: Ben Simms/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

Topics: Bear Grylls, Russell Brand, UK News, Celebrity