Ryan reacts to the verdict on her podcast
Katherine Ryan has spoken publicly for the first time since Russell Brand was convicted, using the latest edition of her podcast, Telling Everybody Everything, to describe her reaction. She said the outcome left her feeling unsettled and emotional, and she expressed admiration for the survivors who testified even though, in her view, they had nothing to gain from doing so.[S1]
The Canadian comedian explained that she and other women had been discussing the verdict privately in the period before she addressed it openly. She characterized the result as delivering a measure of justice while also reviving sorrow for the people harmed, and she stressed that she would never take pleasure in another person's downfall.[S1]
A nuanced response to a difficult outcome
Ryan framed her feelings as two things existing at once, saying a degree of relief had arrived alongside grief. She noted that the court had established that something terrible took place, and she argued that the situation carried complexity rather than a single simple meaning.[S1]
Earlier comments and the London trial
In 2022, Ryan drew attention during an interview with Louis Theroux for a BBC documentary series, where she said she had challenged an unnamed male comedian over alleged predatory conduct. She described having worked with the man on a television program and called him a predator, while warning that speaking out carried legal risk. Her remarks prompted speculation that she meant Brand, though she has never publicly identified the comedian in question.[S1]
Brand, 51, was found guilty on Thursday of one rape count and three sexual assault counts after a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London. He was cleared of two further rape charges and one indecent assault count. Brand denied every allegation of non-consensual sexual activity and is due to be sentenced on Monday.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
