How much does Russell Brand make off YouTube? The online video platform blocks his income

In the ever-evolving landscape of content creation and digital media, celebrities are no longer confined to traditional platforms for their earnings. Take Russell Brand, for instance. His career has been littered with controversy but as long as he was an attractive revenue generator as host or guest for the likes of the BBC, Channel 4 or other network, he’d be booked in an instance and he’d reap the rewards. Take those streams of publicity away and it was harder to reach a wider audience.

Then comes social media, and the likes of Brand has a global reach like never before, one that he has taken full advantage of to maximise his income. But with the recent accusations against him, something he has completely denied, these new avenues appear to be closing on him, with YouTube announcing on Tuesday that he could no longer profit through it.

What has YouTube done with Russell Brand?

The breaking sexual misconduct and abuse scandal surrounding Brand, has seen his hugely popular YouTube channel stripped of its monetisation privileges. Upon hearing what was coming down the news cycle, the comedian, actor and activist quickly took to his platform to address the allegations in a detailed video statement, insisting that all his relationships were consensual and deeming the media’s coverage a “coordinated attack” against him.

With a very decent 6.6 million subscribers, Brand’s reach is clear. Add to that other channels including ‘Awakening With Russell (426,000 subscribers) and ‘Stay Free With Russell Brand’ (22,200 subscribers) and his multifaceted approach to content creation has allowed him to tap into various niches and demographics.

How much money was Brand getting from YouTube?

The demonetization of his main YouTube channel is likely to noticeably impact on his online income, with some experts estimated that Brand was making approximately $61,000 monthly from YouTube alone. Additionally, he raked in about another $100,000 each month from paid subscriptions to his podcast and merchandise.

Sara McCorquodale, the CEO of social media analysis agency CORQ, speaking to The Guardian, believed that Brand earned between $2,000 and $4,000 per video, not accounting for potential affiliate deals and brand sponsorships. With his volume and viewership, his yearly income from the channel could have topped $1 million.

Brand didn’t stop at YouTube; he ventured into the online community platform Locals, where fans could subscribe for a minimum of $60 annually to access exclusive content and interact directly with him. He also expanded his digital presence to Rumble, where he hosted live shows for his 1.4 million followers. This career shift paid off handsomely, thanks to the monetisation options, elevating his estimated net worth to a staggering $20 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.