It’s only a matter of time before Russell Brand, backed as he is by Elon Musk, releases his first show on X. I say that because YouTube has just announced that it has ‘suspended monetisation’ on Brand’s channel for ‘violating’ something it calls its ‘creator responsibility policy’.
Brand has 6.6 million followers on YouTube, which makes the content he pumps
out on the platform highly valuable. He posts videos on Rumble, too, where he has 1.4 million followers. But he has 11.6 million followers on X, which is now making ever bigger strides into the online streaming and video market. You do the math, as Americans like to say.
YouTube’s break with Brand is an opportunity for X which Elon Musk has no doubt already spotted
Brand is a perfect fit for the new age of digital broadcasting: a charismatic autodidact, a celebrity who likes controversy, a comedian who’s also deadly serious. The fact that he is facing multiple and worsening accusations of sexual assault may hamper him.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in