Russell Brand has earned a jaw-dropping fortune through his career as a comedian, actor, TV presenter, author and podcast host - but he could have been worth a lot more if he's have taken the divorce payout from his split with Katy Perry
Comedian Russell Brand has addressed some serious, but at this point unknown allegations on his YouTube channel ahead of a mystery Channel 4 Dispatches programme, which is set to air today.
It is still unknown who, or what, the TV show could be about, but Brand addressed his viewers by saying some "serious allegations" had been made about him which he "absolutely refutes". He added in his statement that this isn't the "usual type of video" he makes on his channel, where he unusually finds "new ways to connect with ourselves and one another" and explores "how to elevate our consciousness".
Russell has had a hugely successful career in the spotlight, where he has been open about his addiction, promiscuity and political views. Despite this, the 48-year-old has amassed a jaw-dropping net worth over the years thanks to his career on stage, screen and television - even though he rejected the huge payout he was owed after his high-profile divorce with US pop star Katy Perry. So how much is he worth, and why did he refuse the huge payout? Here we take a closer look.
Russell Brand's net worth
READ MORE : Russell Brand denies 'criminal allegations' ahead of Channel 4 Dispatches
Russell Brand is worth an estimated £16million, according to wealth website Celebrity Net Worth. He rose to fame in the early 2000s on the comedy circuit, having performed at the Edinburgh Fringe on multiple occasions. In 2004 he performed his debut one-man stage debut Better Now, which was a memoir about his heroin addiction.
He has since gone on to become an, actor, novelist and YouTuber, who has starred in several huge hits - including Get Him to the Greek, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Despicable Me. The comedian also went on to star in the Broadway adaptation of Rock of Ages in 2012, alongside a star-studded cast.
The 20 years sober star also has an impressive list of TV credits to his name, including RE: Brand, Russell Brand's Got Issues and Brand X with Russell Brand, and his first book My Booky Wook: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs and Stand-Up was a UK hit. In 2004 he hosted Big Brother's Eforum, which was later changed to Celebrity Big Brother's Big Mouth.
Aside from comedy, acting and hosting, he also found success with radio and podcasting, including Under The Skin with Russell Brand. He has also authored several books, including My Booky Wook, Booky Wook 2: This Time It's Personal, Russell Brand's Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Revolution and most recently, Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions.
Brand, who has previously claimed to be anti-capitalist, now lives in a Victorian Gothic Oxfordshire mansion with seven bedrooms, which was bought for £3.3m in 2016, with his wife Laura, their two children - and they have a baby on the way. He reportedly also has a lavish car collection, including a £56,000 Volvo XC90, according to The Richest. He is also reported to have spent a whopping £1.4million on a home in Hollywood Hills West in 2013.
The comedian's net worth could have been significantly higher if he had accepted the payout he was owed from his divorce with I Kissed A Girl hitmaker Katy Perry, who he married in a lavish ceremony in India in 2010. Their marriage was short-lived, and the couple divorced in July 2012 - but they didn't sign a nuptial agreement.
Katy's net worth was significantly higher than Russell's - but he didn't take a single penny from her during the divorce settlements. Katy earned an impressive £35m during their marriage, so he could have been entitled to a significant sum, but the simple answer is he chose not to.
According to the Daily Mail, Russell didn't want his ex wife's money and wanted the split to be quiet and amicable. His friends reportedly said he just wanted to move on. Now Russell continues to earn money from his stand-up career, and he's currently on tour. He also has almost 6.6million subscribers on YouTube, where he also no doubt rakes in money.
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