Lauren Harries first appeared on TV as a child with exceptional knowledge of antiques, and she once claimed she had a fling with Russell Brand in which he ‘used her for sex’ – which he denies
Reality TV star Lauren Harries claimed she was left feeling used by Russell Brand after their alleged fling in 2006. Lauren stated the pair had a months-long consensual fling but the comedian would shun her in public, while he has always denied that he ever had a relationship with her.
The 45-year-old reality star, who is transgender, met 48-year-old Russell when he was the host of Big Brother’s Big Mouth in the noughties. And Lauren’s claims about their alleged romance have resurfaced after a number of women made severe allegations about Russell in a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary and via an investigation by The Times and Sunday Times. The comedian has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and abusive and coercive behaviour – accusations he has vehemently denied.
Although Lauren met Russell during his stint on Big Brother’s Big Mouth, the reality star had actually been on telly long before that, as she began her career as a child antique expert. Lauren reportedly took an interest in art and antiques from the age of five and had a natural affinity for spotting bargains at car boot sales.
She got her big break in the antique world when a piece of porcelain she found was valued at several thousand pounds, and her dad hailed her as a prodigy, prompting her to score appearances on shows, including the late Terry Wogan’s talk show, Wogan, in 1988 when she was just 10. By the time she was 13, Lauren had published an antiques guide called Rags to Riches.