Footage has resurfaced showing disgraced comedian Russell Brand performing an unwanted act on actress Kristen Schaal during an appearance on Australian presenter Rove McManus’ television show.
Brand, 51, was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on Monday after being convicted of raping a fan and committing three additional sexual assaults.
The father of three was accused of groping women and coercing them into sexual acts in incidents alleged to have taken place between 2004 and 2009.
Following his conviction, past television appearances have come under renewed scrutiny, including his appearance on McManus’ US-based cable programme Rove LA in October 2012.
Brand appeared before a studio audience alongside Flight of the Conchords actress Kristen Schaal and singer Adam Lambert. This reporter was among those in attendance.
As McManus, now 52, read a list of restrictions imposed by the US network, including a ban on graphic or sexual acts, Brand interrupted him.
Footage shows disgraced comedian Russell Brand licking actress Kristen Schaal during an appearance on Rove McManus’ television programme
Schaal repeatedly shouted “No!” and appeared to recoil as Brand moved toward her
Brand interrupted McManus while he was outlining the programme’s rules for acceptable television content
Brand was pictured outside a London court with his wife Laura before being jailed this week
“Rove, at the risk of disrupting your item, would it be considered a graphic or sexual item for me to lick inside Kristen’s arm curtain?” he asked.
Brand then turned toward Schaal, opened the sleeve of her top and repeatedly licked her upper arm. She shouted “No!” several times and appeared to shrink away from him.
Schaal eventually screamed and bent down as if to bite Brand’s leg, while Lambert covered his eyes in apparent discomfort.
McManus then appeared to try to redirect the moment.
He took hold of Lambert’s ankle and licked it. Brand stopped targeting Schaal and instead continued the behaviour with the singer, who reacted enthusiastically.
At the time, the studio audience could be heard laughing, unaware of the allegations about Brand’s conduct toward women that would emerge years later.
The Daily Mail has contacted McManus’ management for comment.
Brand, Schaal and Lambert appeared on the second-season premiere of Rove LA, which ran for two seasons and was filmed in a Burbank studio.
McManus, pictured with his wife Tasma Walton in Sydney in 2024, has been approached for comment
Kristen Schaal, 48, is known for her role in the New Zealand comedy series Flight of the Conchords
McManus and Brand had a longstanding professional connection, with the actor from Get Him to the Greek appearing on several of the Australian host’s programmes, including Rove and The 7pm Project.
The Daily Mail is not suggesting that McManus knew Brand was sexually abusing women.
Brand, who frequently travelled to Australia, also displayed controversial behaviour toward several female journalists and broadcasters during his visits.
In 2010, he climbed onto the lap of radio presenter Fifi Box, who was working as an entertainment reporter at the time, and joked that he had made her pregnant.
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In another part of the interview, he asked her: “If your name is Fifi Box, then what is your porn name?”
Two years later, while appearing on Sunrise, Brand continued making jokes about the subject of her pregnancy. “Who put that there?” he asked.
“Did you have it artificially inseminated?” he continued, before saying he hoped that was the case because “one of the reasons I came to this country was to finish you off”.
During another televised appearance in 2015, Brand attempted to revive speculation that he was the father of Box’s child.
Radio presenter Fifi Box attended the Australian premiere of Brand’s film Arthur in Sydney in 2011
A panellist jokingly asked Brand how “the mother of your child” was doing, prompting Box to make clear that the rumour was false.
On another occasion, while Box was pregnant with her daughter Trixie, now 13, Brand reportedly described her as “not a mother… you’re an incubator”. Box shares Trixie with former Iron Man Grant Kenny.
Despite those remarks, Box previously defended her interactions with Brand. Appearing on The Project in 2015, she said he was “actually a beautiful person and a very dear friend to me”.
Box has not publicly commented on Brand’s conviction.
In 2012, Brand also planted a forceful kiss on the lips of veteran journalist Liz Hayes during an interview for 60 Minutes.
At least seven people believed to be members of Brand’s entourage watched the incident, with several laughing as Hayes appeared visibly startled and responded with an awkward smile.
Hayes gasped, “Russell,” as Brand briefly loosened his hold and said: “How can I undo your bra? Just like this…” while placing an arm across her back.
He then walked away grinning before turning back to tell her: “Liz, I love you!”
Television journalist Liz Hayes appeared shocked after Brand kissed her during an interview in 2012
Before the kiss, Brand described himself to Hayes as a “tricky little swine” and “a playful coyote looking for mischief”
Hayes, now 70, revisited the incident in a 2021 retrospective programme marking her four decades in journalism.
“When you interview Russell Brand you don’t really know who’s going to show up,” she said.
“Seasoned as I am as a journalist, I am prepared for all events and all kinds of people.
“And when Russell Brand decided he would like to kiss me, well, you size up the situation.
“You think, ‘Mmm-hmm. Am I in danger? What could go wrong?’”
Earlier in that interview, Brand had warned Hayes: “I’m a tricky little swine. I’m a trickster. I’m a raven. I’m a playful coyote looking for mischief.”
Australian model Lara Worthington was also subjected to Brand’s unwanted attention during a television appearance.
While discussing paparazzi, he complimented her “beautiful perfect nose and profile” and jokingly called her “racist” after she offered him a bottle of fake tan.
All of these television appearances took place after the offences for which Brand was convicted.