Police investigate fresh allegations as agent dumps Brand and shows are cancelled

DETECTIVES will interview a woman who is the first to come forward to police alleging she was sexually assaulted by Russell Brand.

- Paul Jeeves

She contacted them on Sunday claiming he attacked her in London's Soho in 2003.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Officers are in contact with the woman and will be providing her with support.

"We continue to encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a sexual offence, no matter how long ago it was, to contact us."

The move came as more complainants got in touch with investigative journalists following claims by four women against the star over the weekend.

The Daily Express understands these women have been in talks with lawyers about whether to take their allegations to the police.

They accuse the 48-year-old comedian of rape and sexual assault between 2006 and 2013 at the height of his fame.

At the time he was working for BBC Radio 2, Channel 4 and starring in Hollywood films.

Brand has vehemently denied the allegations and yesterday his father Ron defended him, calling them "unproven".

He wrote: "Is this seriously the most important thing happening in this world?... Who is really driving this Vendetta?"

But Brand has been dumped by his agents, and the publisher of several of his books has "paused all future publishing" with him. His comedy gig at the Theatre Royal in Windsor tonight has been postponed, along with Plymouth shows in Friday and on Wolverhampton on September 28.

YouTube is under pressure to remove his channel - and yesterday it emerged the platform had ditched a 2013 video featuring Brand joking about raping and killing a woman and sex with children.

The allegations against Brand came in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4's Dispatches.