Brand accused - Why did the allegations take so long to surface?

It came as little surprise that the darker corners of the internet were ablaze with conspiracy theories last week, after Russell Brand used his YouTube channel to call the allegations of sexual assault and rape against him a "coordinated attack" and a "serious and concerted agenda" to control his voice.

- Alexandra Topping

But questions were raised about the timing. Toby Young, associate editor at the Spectator, asked if there was a "more innocent" reason why the Times, the Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches had "waited this long to produce their findings".

Others wondered why it had taken so long for the story to be published. The reason, according to multiple experts, is simple: publishing stories like this is difficult, and fraught with risk.

"People often think that we have a law that protects free speech here. We don't. We have a law that protects reputation," said Caroline Kean, a partner at Wiggin who represented the journalist Catherine Belton when she was sued by several Russian billionaires.