Quick summary
- Meta has removed Russell Brand‘s Instagram account, according to Variety, after he told followers on X on Wednesday.
- Brand shared a screenshot of a notice saying his account was disabled for not following Meta’s rules.
- A Meta spokesperson told TMZ the account “violates our policies”.
- Brand was sentenced on Monday to 10 years and six months in prison for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
- His X page, which has 10 million followers, is still active.
Meta has taken down Russell Brand’s Instagram account just days after the British comedian was jailed for rape. Brand revealed the removal himself on Wednesday in a post on X, where he shared a screenshot of the notice he received, Variety reported.
What Meta told Brand
The screenshot Brand posted carried a short message: “We disabled your account. Our technology found your account, or your activity on it, doesn’t follow our rules.” Meta did not publish a longer explanation in the material reviewed for this report.
Variety said a Meta spokesperson confirmed to TMZ that the account was taken down because it “violates our policies”. The reports do not say which specific policy was applied.
Brand responded on X, writing that there “never was a Russell Brand, according to @Meta” and thanking Elon Musk for the platform. He added “stay tuned”, without saying what he plans to post. His X profile, which Variety puts at 10 million followers, remains live.
The conviction behind the decision
The removal follows a fast run of events in London. Brand was convicted last week of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, in a case that involved six accusers, according to Page Six. On Monday he was sentenced to 10 years and six months.
Judge Joel Bennathan told Brand that about 20 years ago he was becoming famous and was seen by many as clever, funny and charismatic, but “had also become a sexual predator”. The judge said Brand’s companions may have viewed his behaviour as “outrageous laddish behavior”, but it was “also a criminal sexual offense”.
Variety also reported that London’s Metropolitan Police are investigating further allegations of rape made by two other women. Those allegations have not been tested in court.
A platform history that was already shaky
Meta’s move is not Brand’s first run-in with a platform. Variety notes that his comedy and film work tapered off before he built a YouTube channel, which became increasingly right-wing and conspiracy-driven during the COVID pandemic. YouTube suspended monetisation of his account in 2023. He was charged in 2025 after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct.
For a performer who once relied on studios and broadcasters, social media had become his main channel to an audience. Losing Instagram removes one of the biggest, though X still gives him a large reach.
The wider fallout in Britain
Brand’s sentencing has also prompted a broader conversation about British entertainment culture. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported this week that his conviction, along with allegations against author David Walliams, which Walliams denies, has led commentators to examine what it called a “laddie” culture of the 1990s and 2000s.
Comedian Shappi Khorsandi, who performed with Brand early in his career, said that culture of misogyny was widespread and “stifling” for women, according to the ABC. Broadcaster Jonathan Ross said he was “horrified” by the allegations against Walliams and by Brand’s conviction, adding that he had been unaware of their conduct at the time. We covered his statement in more detail in Jonathan Ross ‘horrified’ by Russell Brand and Walliams claims.
Brand’s first marriage has also resurfaced in coverage. Page Six reported that Katy Perry, who was married to Brand from 2010 to 2012, reportedly joked onstage in Oxfordshire on 1 July that her ex “should be in jail”, a line first attributed to Bang Showbiz. Representatives for both did not respond to Page Six. Our earlier piece, Katy Perry’s 2013 Russell Brand comments resurface, has the background.
What happens next
Page Six reported, citing Brand’s solicitor Kally Sahota, that he is being held at HMP Wandsworth in London for the next few weeks before a transfer to another prison. Sahota said that decision would weigh security, safety and rehabilitation needs.
Whether Brand attempts to appeal, and whether the Metropolitan Police investigation leads to new charges, has not been confirmed in the sources reviewed. Readers can follow every update on our Russell Brand page, including Russell Brand Jailed for 10 Years, 6 Months for Rape.
Frequently asked questions
Has Meta deleted Russell Brand’s Instagram?
Yes. Brand posted a notice on X saying his account was disabled, and a Meta spokesperson said it violates the company’s policies, according to Variety.
Is Russell Brand still on X?
Yes. His X page, which has about 10 million followers, was still active on Wednesday, and he used it to announce the removal.
What was Russell Brand sentenced for?
He was sentenced on Monday to 10 years and six months in prison after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Are there more allegations against him?
Variety reports that the Metropolitan Police are investigating further rape allegations from two other women. No charges relating to them have been reported.
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