By Fatma Younis
Comedian Katherine Ryan has spoken out after Russell Brand was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, saying she feels both "grief and relief" following the verdict delivered on Thursday.
Previous comments about 'predator'
In a 2022 interview with Louis Theroux, Ryan said there was a "predator" in the entertainment industry, comments widely interpreted as referring to Brand. She added she could not name the male comic due to legal risks and recalled telling him he was a "predator" to his face during a TV program. Ryan appeared alongside Brand on Comedy Central's Roast Battle in 2018 but has not confirmed she was referring to him or named the show.
Response to guilty verdict
Speaking on her podcast "Telling Everybody Everything," Ryan said the verdict left her "dysregulated" and emotional, praising the survivors who came forward despite Brand's fame, power, and fanbase. She emphasized the nuanced emotions many women are experiencing privately, noting the verdict proved "a terrible thing happened." Ryan also expressed concern about Brand's narrative portraying himself as a martyr and his followers viewing survivors as villains.
Criticism of defense barrister
Ryan condemned the behavior of Brand's barrister, Ian Winter KC, who confronted Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin outside the courtroom, telling her "I hope you are pleased with yourself" and "You f***** it." Ryan called the tirade "unprofessional, so inappropriate, so aggressive. Really sickening." During the trial, Winter had argued media coverage had "poisoned the well," but the judge dismissed Brand's attempt to block the trial over negative publicity.
