Bear Grylls says Russell Brand's conversion to Christianity 'seemed genuine to me' after attending his private baptism - as actor now faces years in prison for rape

Bear Grylls says he believed Russell Brand's conversion to Christianity 'seemed genuine' when he helped to baptise the disgraced rapist in the River Thames.

The Man Vs Wild star and former SAS soldier helped to lower Brand, 51, into waters close to the comedian's house in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire in April 2024.

But Grylls, among Britain's best known Christians, has faced calls to issue a statement on why he took part in the ceremony months after Brand had been accused of rape and sexual assault following a media investigation.

Brand was found guilty of raping a fan and sexually assaulting three women yesterday. At the time of the baptism, he had not been charged with any offences.

This morning, Grylls posted a statement on X, saying his attendance as a 'guest' at the baptism was 'part of our calling as men and women of faith', and said he had believed Brand's born-again faith was real 'at the time'.

Reacting to the news of the guilty verdict, Grylls wrote: 'Brand's faith seemed genuine to me at the time when I was a guest at his private baptism.

'I have attended a few now. Even visiting in prisons with people who have committed terrible crimes.

'It's part of our calling as men and women of faith, to love and serve anyone. It is the sick that need healing.

'Judgment is for the courts and God… I wouldn't want to ever discourage someone's coming to faith.

'It is right that justice has now been served. I can't imagine how hard this time has been for the victims, the heroes of the day.'

Russell Brand embracing Bear Grylls and friend and former boxer Joe McCann following his baptism in the Thames in April 2024

In a post on X Grylls said he believed Brand's conversion to Christianity was 'genuine' at the time he attended the baptism

Brand and Grylls became friends during filming of the reality show Running Wild (pictured)

An earlier version of the post stated that Grylls did not want to 'not support' someone's conversion to Christianity, but this passage was removed two minutes after it was first published.

The baptism came several months after sexual assault allegations were first made public following a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4 that was published in September 2023.

Brand then announced his conversion to Christianity in early 2024 – and posted a picture of himself embracing Grylls and another friend, the boxer Joe McCann, on Instagram in the Thames in April.

He captioned the image: 'Me, Bear Grylls, The River Thames and of course, The Holy Spirit. #baptism.'

Grylls has previously defended his involvement in the baptism, having befriended Brand during filming of the reality show Running Wild.

He told the Daily Mail that it was 'a privilege to stand beside anyone when they express a humble need for forgiveness'.

Grylls has made no secret of his faith, publishing devotional book Soul Fuel in 2019, and The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account, a retelling of the story of Jesus, in 2025.

Brand was convicted of rape and three counts of sexual assault following the four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.

In the run-up to the trial, Brand – once renowned as an eccentric, libidinous rogue – had sought to cultivate a new image as a born-again Christian, having dabbled with spiritualism and Hinduism in the past.

He published a book entitled How To Become A Christian In 7 Days in May, and carried a Bible into court, wearing a crucifix around his neck, in February as he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Videos released by the Metropolitan Police following his conviction showed that he sat in police interviews with a copy of the Bible in front of him.

Brand has sought to reinvent himself as a born-again Christian after announcing his conversion months after sexual assault allegations were made public

Brand painfully fumbled his words as he was challenged by broadcaster Piers Morgan on his favourite verses and scripture.

Morgan maintained an agonising silence as Brand flicked through the Bible to find what he had said was a verse that carried particular meaning.

And as the Mail revealed this week, he has gone from baptisand to baptist, assisting in the baptism of dozens of Americans whilst in Florida.

He preyed on women he encountered while becoming one of Britain's best-known stand-up comedians, a lauded TV and radio host, and a Hollywood movie star.

His victims came to court to reveal how Brand had forced them into sexual activity, sometimes within seconds of them first meeting, using his fame to determinedly pursue a goal of sex with 5,000 women.

Southwark Crown Court heard Brand, who once boasted he would not relent in his pursuit of sex before getting his 'birthright orgasm', ignored pleas from women for him to stop.

Six women gave evidence against Brand, while the former comedian, who was once married to Katy Perry, could not persuade any of his celebrity friends or former showbiz colleagues to give evidence in his defence.

He was cleared of two further charges of rape and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.

Today also saw Katherine Ryan describe her 'grief and relief' following Brand's conviction.

The Canadian comic had previously spoken of an unnamed 'predator' in the entertainment industry that was widely speculated to be Brand, who appeared alongside her on Comedy Central's Roast Battle in 2018.

She said on her podcast Telling Everybody Everything, said: 'It really made me feel just quite dysregulated again, caught off-guard, emotional, in awe of the survivors who also had nothing to gain.

'I will never be someone who like, dances on graves. There has been some justice done today. There’s a level of relief, but there’s grief alongside relief.'

Brittany Cartwright was spotted anxiously chain smoking shortly before news broke that her estranged husband Jax Taylor was seeking more than $17,000 a month in spousal support from her.

The Valley star, 37, took a smoke break on Friday while in San Diego with her castmates to shoot scenes for the next season of the hit Bravo series.

At one point, a tense Cartwright crouched next to a trash can that was overflowing with garbage as she sucked on a cigarette before filming started.

She was joined by her co-stars Janet Caperna, Lala Kent, and Michelle Saniei.

The group were at a local cemetery to visit the grave of Saniei's mom, who passed away in 2024 from cancer.

The outing comes as Taylor asked a judge to order Cartwright to fork over $17,401 a month in spousal support as part of their bitter divorce proceedings.

Brittany Cartwright was spotted anxiously chain smoking shortly before news broke that her ex Jax Taylor was seeking more than $17,000 a month in spousal support from her

According to TMZ, Taylor's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan also asked Cartwright for $250,000 to pay his legal fees, and another $10,000 to hire a forensic accountant.

Taylor, a former Vanderpump Rules star, claims that he's earned $30,334 in average monthly income over the last 12 months, but says that his estimated monthly expenses total $28,944.

He also claims that he's lost out on employment opportunities, including a 'lucrative' reality TV role, after Cartwright publicly accused him of abuse.

'Jax is seeking monthly child support and spousal support from Brittany based upon the undeniable, clear and vast disparity between the parties’ incomes and access to funds and his inability to maintain the marital standard of living without a contribution from Brittany,' Taylor’s attorney claimed in court documents shared by Us Weekly.

'This disparity is directly due to Brittany’s documented campaign, commencing in or about early 2026, to wreak havoc on Jax’s public image and sabotage his ability to continue his career in the entertainment industry and earn an income.'

His attorney Kaplan also told the outlet that Taylor is now '700+ days sober' and 'would be able to return to gainful employment, at the top of his game, were it not for Brittany’s actions aimed at sabotaging his employability.'

Kaplan added, 'The effects of Brittany’s campaign against Jax have been emotionally and financially devastating.'

The Daily Mail has contacted Cartwright for comment.

The Valley star, 37, took a smoke break on Friday while in San Diego with her castmates to shoot scenes for the next season of the hit Bravo series

At one point, a tense Cartwright crouched next to a trash can that was overflowing with garbage as she sucked on a cigarette before filming started

In August, Cartwright was granted a temporary restraining order against her estranged husband amid their increasingly contentious divorce.

She claimed years of alleged abuse in a bombshell filing made to the L.A. Superior Court, including alleged death threats from Taylor – who was ordered to stay 100 yards away from her.

The former Vanderpump Rules star, 37, also filed for sole custody of their five-year-old son Cruz, who is autistic, but TMZ reports that the judge denied the request pending a court hearing.

In a statement at the time, Taylor admitted that he was 'ashamed' of his actions and said that he'd changed.

'I made a lot of mistakes and behaved in ways during that period of my life that I'm truly ashamed of and regret and take full responsibility for,' he said.

'The person I was in 2024, during the darkest time of my life and at the height of my addiction, is not the person I am today. I got help, went to treatment, and today I'm 1 year and 9 months sober. I've remained committed to treatment and therapy, working on myself and changing my life,' he continued.

The outing comes as Taylor asked a judge to order Cartwright to fork over $17,401 a month in spousal support as part of their bitter divorce proceedings

In July, it was revealed that Taylor had been secretly dating Cartwright's 'good friend' and longtime publicist Lori Krebs

'I was shocked to see claims about alleged incidents from over two years ago being brought up now, especially when there have never been any police reports filed or criminal charges brought against me related to them. There are allegations being made that I strongly dispute. The full story, context and evidence will be addressed where it belongs - in court.'

He finished: 'I will respect the court's orders and the legal process. My focus continues to be my sobriety, working on my mental health, being the best father I can be to Cruz and moving forward in a healthy and responsible way. All I can do is own my mistakes, stay committed to the changes I've made and make sure the choices I make today reflect the man and father I want to be.'

In July, it was revealed that Taylor had been secretly dating Cartwright's 'good friend' and longtime publicist Lori Krebs.

Cartwright labeled Taylor's relationship with Krebs as a 'complete betrayal' and said that she had once considered her ex publicist 'family.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to visit Brussels next week as they resume public appearances in the wake of child sexual abuse image allegations facing Meghan's father.

Prince Harry and Meghan will deliver a joint keynote address at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial in the European Parliament on Tuesday.

It is expected to be the first time the pair will have been seen in public since Thomas Markle Sr was reported to police in the Philippines and the FBI over a haul of suspected child abuse images.

The brief trip abroad will see Harry and Meghan listen to addresses by European Parliament president Roberta Metsola and MEP Antonio Lopez-Isturiz, the first vice-chairman of the Child Rights Intergroup, before delivering their own speech.

The Sussexes will have between 15 and 20 minutes for their rare dual-address, which they will use to speak about the importance of children's digital safety.

Harry and Meghan will also be shown the memorial exhibition, which remembers children who have lost their lives as a result of the harm they suffered on social media.

The Duke will later join a panel discussion called Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future That Works For Children to discuss how to protect children online.

Prince Harry and Mehgan arrive for a visit to Himmah Hub in Nottingham on October 15

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has said videos of alleged child sexual abuse and exploitation were among files found in four storage boxes that allegedly belonged to Mr Markle Sr, after he was reported by his son Thomas Markle Jr last month.

Major General Wilson Asueta of the PNP said it had yet to be confirmed who owned the devices, which included nine mobile phones, three memory cards, five hard drives and a camera.

The 82-year-old was reported to police in the Philippines and the FBI last month by Mr Markle Jr, who handed over a haul of alleged child abuse images he said he found in his father's belongings in Cebu City.

A second hoard was discovered last Friday in a storage unit Thomas Markle Sr is said to have rented near his former home in Rosarito, Mexico, during a raid by Mexican police.

Reports have since claimed Mr Markle Sr was moved into a care home for dementia patients in Florida, described as a specialist 'memory care' facility.

It has raised concerns the FBI may never be able to interview Meghan's estranged father because of the legal barriers over interrogating suspects with cognitive issues in care homes.

Meghan was left 'deeply distressed' at the allegations and revealed she was sent a letter via the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection seven years ago which made 'troubling and disturbing allegations' about her father, but that she was given assurances these were being investigated.

Harry and Meghan are set to be seen in public for the first time since her father Thomas Markle was reported to police over a haul of alleged child sexual abuse images

The Metropolitan Police has admitted it never shared the details with other law enforcement agencies, with the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, now investigating the force's conduct.

The Duchess had wanted to 'speak out' immediately after reading the letter but police advised her against this, sources said.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since the run-up to her 2018 wedding when he was caught staging paparazzi photographs and then had a heart attack, meaning the King, then-the Prince of Wales, stepped in to walk Meghan down the aisle.

When former TV lighting director Mr Markle Sr had his leg amputated in the Philippines last year, he made pleas for the duchess to contact him, saying he did not want to die while they were still estranged.

A spokesperson for the duchess confirmed at the time she had 'reached out to her father'.

Last week, it emerged Meghan wrote in this final letter that she knew he was an abuser and that he would never see his grandchildren Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Mr Markle Sr, who returned to the US in May, has admitted to paying for sex in the Philippines but denied ever possessing child abuse imagery.

Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult have reportedly both auditioned for James Bond as they join the race for the coveted part as late contenders.

The British actors, who have starred as Batman and Lex Luthor respectively for DC Studios, are surprise additions to the list of stars who have already auditioned for director Denis Villeneuve.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pattinson and Hoult joined hopefuls Callum Turner, Jack Lowden and Josh O'Connor in testing for the role in London last month.

Pattinson previously worked with Villeneuve on the upcoming Dune 3.

News of Pattinson and Hoult's auditions will come as a surprise as it was recently claimed that O'Connor had secured the role.

The Crown star, 36, is believed to have been on the shortlist of candidates to play 007 and a recent report suggested Josh had won the role after successfully negotiating the final stages of the auditions with Amazon MGM Studios.

Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult have reportedly both auditioned for James Bond as they join the race for the coveted part as late contenders

It is yet to be decided who will be taking over from Daniel Craig (seen in Casino Royale) as the next 007

O'Connor had been appearing in the play Golden Boy in Islington, north London and The Sun reported one of his castmates let the Bond casting news slip after a 'few glasses of lager' at a pub in Soho.

A source told the publication: 'I bumped into one of Josh's Golden Boy cast mates at The French House. A lot of people asked for selfies and we got chatting in a corner completely by accident.

'Out of nowhere, and oiled by a few glasses of lager, they blurted out that Josh was the next James Bond. I said it was pure speculation but they were insistent it was Josh.

'They said that he had confided in them about getting the role when the cast of Golden Boy had celebratory drinks after the play finished its run on Halloween. '

It came after O'Connor - who is best known for playing Prince Charles in Netflix series The Crown - admitted he finds it 'very bizarre' that he's been mentioned as a potential James Bond.

He told the BBC: 'To be considered in that same sort of bracket is extraordinary. It's an incredibly bizarre pinch me moment... even being uttered in that same sentence and being considered for something like that.'

However, O'Connor insisted he wouldn't be drawn on the speculation, adding: 'But I am afraid, there is nothing to say beyond that.'

O'Connor recently wrapped his run as the lead role in Golden Boy where he played 60 shows.

News of Pattinson and Hoult's auditions will come as a surprise as it was recently claimed that Josh O'Connor had secured the role

Jack Lowden and Callum Turner are also both believed to have completed their final auditions recently ahead of the announcement

According to the latest odds from Ladbrokes, Lowden is now the clear front-runner at 4/6, followed by Turner at 11/4.

O'Connor falls further behind in the odds at 8/1.

Slow Horses star Lowden, 36, recently broke his silence on claims that he is the 'clear favourite' for the role while speaking to GQ Hype, telling them he believes his future lies in directing.

'It's all very flattering. It's nice to be mentioned – for any role – and I'm just not really going to add to the noise...

'As a young male actor, generally, the minute you're not playing a zany artist type, the minute you're in a suit, people fling it at you.'

Expanding on plans for working behind the camera in the future, he added: 'I don't think it's [his future career] in acting, really. I think it's in making something of my own.'

Furthermore, it was recently reported that Turner, 36, has quit the film company he founded with wife Dua Lipa – a potential sign that he's focused solely on securing the 007 job.

The actor has resigned as a director of Twentytwo Films Ltd which he founded with his pop star wife last August with equal shares, aiming to produce film and television projects similar to Margot Robbie's LuckyChap production house.

Casting for the role of James Bond by December would allow Amazon MGM Studios to start filming the next movie in 2027.