Emily Maitlis admits ‘I was mesmerised’ by Russell Brand when he walked in room

Presenter discusses her 2017 interview with Russell Brand

Emily Maitlis has opened up about the first time she met Russell Brand while interviewing him in 2017.

Discussing her experience on The News Agents, she said she “went in preparing to loathe him” after he was late, adding that she thought “what a narcissist”.

But after he walked into the room, she admitted she was “mesmerised” by the comedian.

She added: “I interviewed him when he had just brought out this book. I went to that interview preparing to loathe him and he kept me waiting and I’m a really vigorous time keeper.

“I remember him being late and I remember him having his own makeup room and sort of thinking ‘what a narcissist’. I hate people who do the power play thing by making an interviewer wait.”

READ MORE: Russell Brand’s Windsor show postponed after sexual assault allegations made

She added: “In truth, he walks into the room and he is mesmerising. He’s funny, he’s smart, he’s linguistic, his language is magnetic and he’s charismatic.”

Co-presenter Lewis Goodall responds: “He charmed you?”

To which, Emily says: “He did to some extent. In the context of the interview, I’d be lying if I said there isn’t something about him. We know that there’s something about him because he sells out shows, he reinvents himself.

“Curious that just when this investigation was starting, he managed this whole kind of personal reinvention towards wellness, and wellness should ring a lot of alarm bells in this day and age.”

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Brand has been accused of sexual assault and rape following an investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4.

The allegations reported by Channel 4, the Times and the Sunday Times against Russell Brand were based on accounts from several women relating to incidents that were said to have taken place between 2006 and 2013.

The comedian has denied all accusations made against him in a video posted online. In the clip, Brand denied “serious criminal allegations” that were about to be made against him.

The Met Police has since confirmed today (September 18) they are investigating another sexual assault allegation dating back to 2003.

He said he was the subject of a “co-ordinated attack” involving “some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute”.

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