YouTube has suspended the monetization of Russell Brand's channel on the video-sharing platform after the British comedian was accused of rape and sexual assault, Guardian reported. This means adverts will not be shown on Mr Brand's YouTube channel, stopping him from earning any revenue from his videos. Mr Brand, once one of the country's most high-profile comedians and broadcasters, has over 6 million subscribers to his YouTube channel.
A YouTube spokesperson said: "We have suspended monetisation on Russell Brand's channel for violating our Creator Responsibility policy. If a creator's off-platform behaviour harms our users, employees, or ecosystem, we take action to protect the community."
''This decision applies to all channels that may be owned or operated by Russell Brand," the Google-owned video service confirmed to the BBC.
Speaking to the Guardian, Sara McCorquodale, chief executive of social media analysis agency CORQ, said Brand's YouTube channel would "most likely" be "making 2,000-4,000 pounds per video.
The move comes after the 48-year-old comedian and actor has been accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse. Four women have alleged sexual assaults between 2006 and 2013 when Mr Brand was at the height of his fame working as a presenter for BBC Radio 2, Channel 4 and acting in Hollywood movies.
The allegations were made in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4 Dispatches. The actor has denied the claims and said all of his relationships were consensual.
Mr Brand, known for his work in films including Bedtime Stories and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, was married to pop sensation Katy Perry for two years. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in the early 2000s. He was also the host of chat show Big Brother's Big Mouth, a spin-off of the popular reality series, for three years from 2004.
