Russell Brand threatens to sue The Sun and give proceeds to New Era estate
Russell Brand leads demonstration towards Downing Street against the house price rising in the New Era estate against the house price rising in the New Era estate - Credit: Archant
Comedian and actor Russell Brand has threatened to sue the Sun newspaper over a story today which labelled him a “hypocrite” and said he would donate the money to Hoxton’s New Era estate.
According to the newspaper’s report the comedian pays rent for his London home to a firm registered in the British Virgin Islands, often called a tax haven.
Mr Brand,39, responded to the allegation with a tweet directed at the Sun’s accounts and Rupert Murdoch.
He wrote: “Hey @TheSunNewspaper and @rupertmurdoch I’m gonna sue you and give the money to #NewEraEstate nad JFT96”.
JFT96 stands for Justice for The 96 in reference to the number of football supporters who died in the Hillsborough stadium disaster of 1989.
On Monday, Mr Brand joined hundreds of supporters and residents of Hoxton’s New Era estate, and labour MP Diane Abobott, in a march to Downing Street in protest over fears that a takeover by US investment firm Westbrook would lead to a hike in rents.
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Mr Brand also became agitated at Channel 4 journalist Paraic O’Brien, calling the reporter a “snide”, when questioned about how much rent he pays for his London property.
Mr O’Brien suggested the housing problem was intensified by the super-rich buying property in the capital.
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During the interview, Brand said: “I’m not interested in talking to you about my rent, mate. I’m here to support a very important campaign.”
When asked about the value of his home, he continued: “It’s rented. We don’t know the value, you would have to talk to my landlord.
“Blessedly, I can afford my rent and I’m prepared to stand up for people that can’t.”
Cutting the interview short, he added: “Snides like you, mate, undermine [the campaign]. You’re a snide. All right, let’s do one.”
Brand later discussed the interview on his YouTube channel, likening it to a “quarrel at a jumble sale”.
The celebrity activist said: “I shouldn’t be allowed on television. I’m so easily wound up. What does it matter to me, what have I got to lose, just from this one bloke?
“But I’m a volatile person.”
He went on: “When you talk to a journalist I sort of think it’s a combination of boring and really annoying, and my personality type is not well suited to that kind of environment.”
Mr O’Brien later tweeted: “Is it my job to test tension between private circumstances and publicly held views of celebrities? Yes.”
