EXCLUSIVE: Russell Brand’s friends DEFEND him after ‘shocking’ rape allegations – and insist wife Laura WILL stand by him: ‘He’s vulgar and abusive, but he’s NOT a monster.’

Russell Brand’s close friends and confidants are rallying to defend the comedian after shocking rape and sexual misconduct allegations were made against him. They insist that while the comedian is “rude, arrogant and insulting,” he is “not a monster.” .

The 48-year-old British-born star has been substance-free since 2002 and, according to a woman who has known him since his early days in recovery, people in his sober circle are “shocked” by the abuse allegations he is now facing Door.

Four women alleged that they were raped, sexually abused and emotionally abused by Russell between 2006 and 2013. A joint investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4 revealed a bombshell.

Now sources close to the comedian – who has vehemently denied all allegations – have spoken out to express their shock at the claims while revealing the brutal toll the scandal has taken on his wife Laura Gallacher.

“Everyone is shocked at the moment. “Russell has been a driving force in the recovery of so many people over the years, and he has helped thousands of people get clean by sharing his powerful story,” said a woman who went through recovery with him and wished to remain anonymous , told DailyMail.com.

Russell Brand, 48, pictured at an event in 2017 for his book “Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions,” has the support of a close friend in his sobriety circle who is “shocked.”

Brand’s wife Laura Gallacher, who was spotted strolling in London in 2017, is currently a “wreck,” a source close to the couple told DailyMail.com exclusively

“He is constantly supportive and very committed to his recovery.” “He works with a team of new addicts to help them get sober too.”

Another source who met Brand during his rise to fame claimed he never “crossed the line.”

“I have seen Russell in both intimate settings and on the red carpet at major celebrity events.” “He is always himself and although he is very flirty by nature, I have never seen him cross the line.” the Hollywood insider told DailyMail.com.

“Russell is vulgar. He is rough. He has built a personality for himself as a sexual playboy. He has slept with countless women and he will tell you that.

“He is also abusive and arrogant, but he never seemed like a monster to me.” In fact, he is very good to those he cares about. “He has friends who will vouch for his character in court when he needs them.”

The once promiscuous actor, who was infamously dubbed “Shagger of the Year,” married Gallacher in 2017, six years after he split from his first wife, Katy Perry. The couple have daughters Mabel and Peggy and are awaiting the birth of their third child.

According to his sober friend, who claimed Brand has always been “transparent” with his wife, she is struggling with the “emotional toll” of the allegations.

“Laura is a wreck right now,” they said. “She is pregnant, which makes the situation worse for her as pregnancy is an emotional burden for a woman.”

According to a Hollywood insider who has known Brand, pictured at a photo shoot for Trashy Lingerie in 2008, for years, the comedian is “crude and vulgar” but “not a monster.”

The stand-up comic performing with burlesque dancers at the 2007 Brit Awards was “flirty by nature”, an entertainment industry insider said

“She believes Russell is a great father and husband and they’ve been through so much. “Russell has always been transparent with her.”

The allegations sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry and forced the BBC and Channel 4 – for which Brand worked during the time the alleged incidents occurred – to carry out urgent investigations.

Laura – the sister of Sky Sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher and daughter of golfer Bernard Gallacher, 87 – is yet to break her silence. She seems to have deleted her Instagram account.

After news of his alleged behavior surfaced, another source revealed to DailyMail.com that Laura would have his back.

“What Russell did was firmly in the past, long before he and Laura met. “Of course it’s not easy, but they are determined to get through it,” the friend said.

Sky Sports star Kirsty appeared to support her brother-in-law, sharing Brand’s denial in a YouTube video posted on Friday evening, hours before the allegations were made public.

But the TV star, who introduced her sister to Brand in 2007, later deleted her Instagram “Story”, which was posted with a large red love heart.

On his channel, the former MTV star said he received two “extremely disturbing letters” detailing “a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks that are untrue.”

Former wife Katy Perry, who appeared with Brand at the 2010 Oscars, has not commented on the allegations made against her ex-husband

The comedian has denied allegations of rape and sexual assault made by four women

A woman claimed Brand raped her against the wall in his Los Angeles home.

A second woman claimed he assaulted her and referred to her as “the child” during an emotionally abusive and controlling relationship when he was 31 and she was 16 and still in school.

A third woman claimed the comedian sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles and that he threatened her with legal action if she told anyone.

While the fourth claimed she was sexually assaulted by Brand, who she said physically and emotionally abused her.

The BBC, Channel 4 and production company Banijay have launched investigations into his behavior, while the Met Police are investigating a report into sexual assaults in Soho in 2003.

YouTube has also blocked him from making money from the site and the remaining dates of his Bipolarization tour in the UK have been postponed.

Brand, who was sacked from BBC Radio 2 after leaving Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs a series of suggestive messages about his granddaughter, previously struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and sought treatment for sex addiction.

In December 2022, he thanked his friends and family for his sobriety on Instagram.

“Today I am 20 years clean and sober.” It is December 13th. “So I would first like to express my gratitude to all the people who helped me stay clean and sober,” he said in a video message.

He also stated that he believes that achieving and maintaining sobriety “is never achieved alone” and that “while it is often viewed and celebrated as a personal achievement, it is essentially a communal and spiritual achievement.”

The stand-up comedian assured his followers that it is “possible to change things” if someone is struggling with addiction.

“There is a path back to dignity, there is a path back to responsible and caring behavior – all of that is possible,” he said.