After a London jury found Russell Brand guilty of rape and sexual assault on Thursday, New College of Florida canceled his previously scheduled campus appearance.
The college canceled a booking announced in 2025
After a London jury found Russell Brand guilty of rape and sexual assault on Thursday, New College of Florida canceled his previously scheduled campus appearance. The college had announced his participation in February 2025, making the cancellation a reversal of a booking it had planned for its Socratic Stage Dialogue Series.¹²³⁴
Brand, a British actor best known for comedic roles, was originally scheduled to speak April 12 at Sainer Pavilion as part of the school’s Socratic Lecture Series. The talk was titled “Thinking without Permission: A Conversation with Russell Brand on Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power.” Mark Famiglio, chair of the Sarasota Film Festival, was set to interview him.¹²³⁴
Brand, a British actor best known for comedic roles, was originally scheduled to speak April 12 at Sainer Pavilion as part of the school’s Socratic Lecture Series.
New College shifted from proceeding to postponing the event
After the charges against Brand became public, New College initially said his appearance would go ahead as scheduled. The college then changed course on Wednesday, and on Saturday announced it would postpone his appearance as a guest speaker. The school faced backlash over its decision to allow him to speak and backtracked. In defending its earlier position, the college said Brand had a right to free speech.¹²³⁴
The college’s email said the decision to reschedule had nothing to do with the rape charges. NCF officials told local media last year that the conversation remained important and “possibly never more relevant,” but said the current media climate distracted from its deeper purpose: exploring free speech and civil discourse through open dialogue. Virginia Zimmermann, New College’s deputy chief of staff, wrote, “Obviously, New College is moving on.”¹²³⁴
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Read More →Before the final cancellation, the rescheduled event had been moved to a smaller on-campus theater, with no tickets available for general access. The college also identified a statement from Alexandra Nicole Islas, its Director of Public Policy Events. The venue change and ticket restriction set the terms for the postponed event; Brand is no longer scheduled to appear at the college.¹²³⁴
The charges involved four women and five counts
British police charged Brand on April 4 following an eighteen-month investigation. He faces one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault. The charges describe alleged offenses involving four women between 1999 and 2005. One alleged offense took place in Bournemouth; the other three were in the Westminster area of central London.¹²³
The Metropolitan Police wrote to Brand, whom they believed was in the United States, to tell him he was being charged. Brand pleaded not guilty last year. He is currently incarcerated and scheduled to be sentenced Monday. The jury’s finding of guilt came after the college had already rescheduled the event and then changed its position on whether he would appear.¹²³⁴
The dialogue series has hosted speakers since 2023
New College’s Socratic Stage Dialogue Series launched in 2023. Its speakers have ranged from conservative politicians and scholars to science communicator Bill Nye and psychedelic research advocate Rick Doblin. Brand’s planned appearance would have joined a programme the college had used for conversations across a mix of subjects and public figures.¹²³⁴
The charges involved four women and five counts British police charged Brand on April 4 following an eighteen-month investigation.
Judge Speakers by Legal Outcomes
When you book a speaker or accept a role, check whether the person faces active criminal charges. New College initially defended Brand's appearance, citing free speech, but reversed after a jury found him guilty. For your own events, plan a contingency: if a speaker is convicted, be ready to cancel quickly to avoid backlash and reputational damage.¹²³⁴
The college's venue change to a smaller theater with no general tickets shows how a controversy can shrink an event's reach. If you organize talks, factor in that a polarizing figure may reduce attendance and force logistical changes. Also, note that the series launched in 2023 and has hosted diverse speakers, so a single cancellation does not end the programme—keep your lineup flexible.¹²
Sources
- insidehighered.com — https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2026/11/06/new-college-cancels-russell-brand-appearance
- mysuncoast.com — https://www.mysuncoast.com/2025/04/09/new-college-officially-postpones-speaking-appearance-by-russell-brand/
- patch.com — https://patch.com/florida/sarasota/new-college-postpones-actor-russell-brand-s-talk-after-uk-rape-charge
- wsvn.com — https://wsvn.com/entertainment/new-college-of-florida-backtracks-postpones-russell-brand-speaking-appearance/
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