Bear Grylls helped baptize Russell Brand in the pristine waters of the River Thames
Jeff Spicer/Getty Images; John Phillips/WireImage
- Russell Brand confirmed that Bear Grylls was involved in his baptism in the River Thames.
- Grylls told the Daily Mail that it was a "privilege" to be with Brand during his baptism.
- In 2023, Brand was accused of sexual abuse by multiple women. He denied the allegations.
Bear Grylls confirmed he was part of Russell Brand's baptism, saying that it was a "privilege" to be by the comedian's side.
Brand revealed Grylls' presence during his baptism in a video uploaded to his X account on Monday.
"The ceremony itself was incredible. I wanna thank Bear Grylls and my mate Joe, the two men that stood either side of me and flanked me for the baptism itself," Brand said in the video.
"I did the baptism in the River Thames and in my home, so it was a very very intimate experience," he continued. The river was recently found to have elevated levels of E. Coli.
The Daily Mail confirmed Grylls' involvement as well.
"Faith and spiritual moments in our lives are really personal but it is a privilege to stand beside anyone when they express a humble need for forgiveness and strength from above," Grylls told The Daily Mail. "Friendships when we go through tough times are worth so much."
Grylls, who got to know Brand when the comedian appeared on a 2023 episode of his show "Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge," is no stranger to river baptisms himself. The survivalist posted on X in October 2023 that he was baptized in Bethany Beyond the Jordan — the same location where Jesus was believed to be baptized.
Brand announced that he was getting baptized in April after previously adhering to the Buddhist faith, and uploaded several videos prior to his baptism discussing how he was approaching his Christian faith.
Multiple women have accused Brand of sexual abuse and rape in the past. In September 2023, four women accused him of sexual assault in a joint investigation by several British media outlets. Brand denied those allegations. In November 2023, another woman who worked with Brand on the 2011 film "Arthur" accused him of sexual assault.
As Prospect Magazine reported, Brand's recent content on social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Rumble, has promoted conspiracy theories and misinformation.