Russell Brand asked assistant for female fan phone numbers, court hears

Russell Brand was questioned in court about allegations that he asked his assistant for the phone numbers of female fans. The incident occurred when Helen Berger, a former assistant, left her job after becoming "sick of him."

Berger claimed that Brand had repeatedly asked her for the personal contact information of female fans, which she found uncomfortable and unprofessional. Brand's lawyer argued that the assistant had been given the task of collecting fan mail and that the request for phone numbers was a legitimate part of her job.

However, Berger disputed this claim, stating that she had never been asked to collect phone numbers before and that the request was an unusual and unwelcome addition to her duties. The court heard that Berger had been working for Brand since 2019 and had been tasked with managing his social media presence.

She claimed that Brand's behavior had become increasingly erratic and controlling, leading her to leave her job. Berger stated that she had been subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation by Brand, which made her feel uncomfortable and trapped.

Brand's lawyer argued that Berger's claims were exaggerated and that she had been given a generous severance package after leaving her job. However, Berger disputed this claim, stating that the severance package was not enough to compensate her for the emotional distress she had suffered.

The court also heard that Berger had been given a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) by Brand's team, which prevented her from speaking publicly about her experiences. Berger claimed that she had been forced to sign the NDA, which she felt was an attempt to silence her and prevent her from sharing her story.

Brand's lawyer argued that the NDA was a standard practice in the entertainment industry and that Berger had signed it voluntarily. However, Berger disputed this claim, stating that she had been coerced into signing the NDA and that it was an attempt to silence her.