TheQuartering [9/21/2023]
YouTube has suspended Russell Brand’s channels from making money from adverts for “violating” its “creator responsibility policy”.
The video platform said it was taking action “to protect” its users.
Meanwhile, the BBC said it had removed some programmes featuring the comedian and actor from its streaming services.
It comes after he was accused of rape and sexual assaults between 2006 and 2013. He denies the claims, saying his relationships were “always consensual”.
The BBC said it had removed some content that “now falls below public expectations” from iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Earlier on Tuesday, a YouTube spokesperson said: “If a creator’s off-platform behaviour harms our users, employees or ecosystem, we take action.”
In recent years, the former TV and radio personality has repositioned himself, posting regular video about spirituality, anti-establishment politics and, recently, UFOs, to his 6.6 million subscribers. He also posts on Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Rumble.
YouTube’s decision to block his revenue streams applies to “all channels that may be owned or operated” by the 48-year-old, it confirmed to the BBC.
Other channels associated with his main YouTube page include Awakening With Russell, Stay Free With Russell Brand and Football Is Nice, which have about 500,000 subscribers between them.
Sara McCorquodale, author and chief executive of social media analysis agency CORQ, estimated Brand made about £2,000 to £4,000 per YouTube video.
“He was probably making more revenue from YouTube than any other platform,” she told BBC News. “Everything existed to drive people towards his YouTube channel, so that probably was a significant revenue stream that has obviously now been paused.”