A specialised police unit formed in the aftermath of the Jimmy Savile abuse revelations is lending its expertise to the Metropolitan Police as they investigate rape and sexual assault allegations against comedian and actor Russell Brand.

Earlier this week, Scotland Yard confirmed that they had received a report regarding an alleged sexual assault following media reports concerning the 48-year-old entertainer. Russell Brand vehemently denies these allegations.

The Hydrant Programme, previously known as Operation Hydrant, is a national authority on child sexual abuse inquiries and plays a vital role in supporting investigations into high-profile cases. It was established in 2014, prompted by the disturbing revelations about Jimmy Savile’s extensive history of sexual abuse.

Jimmy Savile, one of Britain’s most notorious sex offenders, passed away in 2011. An ITV documentary broadcast after his death unveiled the shocking extent of his abuse. The subsequent Operation Yewtree investigation revealed 214 criminal offences committed by Savile, who had been a prominent radio DJ and presenter of “Top of the Pops.”

The Hydrant Programme was established to coordinate non-recent child abuse investigations involving individuals of public prominence and historical offences that occurred within institutions. Last year, its mandate expanded to include child protection and abuse investigations for the National Police Chiefs’ Council. The program is overseen by Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley.

The allegations against Russell Brand encompass rape, assault, and emotional abuse dating back to 2006 through 2013, a period when he was at the pinnacle of his career, working with the BBC, Channel 4, and starring in Hollywood films. These allegations surfaced following a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

In response to these serious allegations, both the BBC and Channel 4 have initiated investigations into Russell Brand’s tenure at their respective organisations. Channel 4 has removed all content featuring Brand, and the BBC has removed some of its content that no longer meets public expectations.

Furthermore, YouTube and podcasting platform Acast have both announced that Russell Brand will not earn money from advertisements on their platforms. Brand, who denies all allegations, has postponed the remaining shows of his Bipolarisation tour.

Rumble, a right-wing video platform, declared that the allegations against Brand are unrelated to their platform’s content and stated that they stand for different values than YouTube. They emphasised their commitment to defending a free internet.

Russell Brand has publicly denied all criminal allegations, acknowledging that he has been “promiscuous” but asserting that all his relationships have been “consensual.” The investigation into these allegations remains ongoing.