Channel 4 worker ‘repulsed’ when allegedly forced to give Russell Brand a massage, court hears

She gave evidence in court from behind a screen and told jurors that she was asked to give Mr Brand a massage by two colleagues after the actor became “unhappy about things” during recording.

Jurors heard he left the room and refused to carry on.

“The atmosphere changed and the way in which he was speaking to people,” the woman said.

Two members of his team, Gareth Roy and Jack Bayles, then “suggested I give him a massage”, she said.

The woman said she replied: “I don’t want to give him a massage… I actually laughed; I thought they were joking.”

But when he returned, Mr Brand allegedly put his hand on her lap and said: “Come on, then.”

He was so close that the woman claimed she “could feel his breath against me.”

“My hands were up at the time because I was so shocked. I looked over at Gareth and Jack, and I was hoping they would help me,” she said.

The woman said they were shrugging and gestured for her to give him a massage.

“Seeing Gareth and Jack’s reaction, I thought, ‘Oh God, I’ve got to do this,’” she said.

After the alleged massage, the woman said Mr Brand got up to get a glass of water and picked up a calculator, and said: “Oh, I’m a calculator, look at me, look at me,” pretending to make the calculator drink from the glass.

She said: “It was just a bit of a charade, just a change of tune.”

She claimed she reported the incident to her manager at Channel 4, who escalated her report further up the management chain.

Mr Brand has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault.

The trial continues.