'We've gone as far as we can'

Russell Brand is quitting his online series The Trews.

He says he thinks he has 'gone as far as we can' with the YouTube videos, which offer an alternative commentary on current affairs.

And the comedian turned activist said he was frustrated that he often became the story because of what he said – while the actual points were overlooked.

Telling his fans it was time to 'step out of this argument', Brand said: 'I think we've gone as far with The Trews as we can for now. I think I've reached the point where we think, "how far can you go with this cyclical reporting on cyclical news?"

'The way that these stories are told... media behaves in a predictable and formulaic manner. If you speak out against that process, even from a modest online platform, you become the recipient and target of such incredible condemnation that it is, in a way, overwhelming. And in another way completely understandable. It's interesting to become part of the news on which you're reporting and to see the machine, and feel the machine on you.'

He cited his comments about the hypocrisy of the minutes' silence to the war dead, promoted by governments who facilitate arms deals to brutal regimes, which were reported 'with the removal of any salient information, and intelligent information ... which makes me the story.'

Brand also said he would be taking time away from social media, adding: 'I’m going to be learning because I know real change is coming and I want to be part of that.'

He launched The Trews in February last year, and today's edition in which he made his announcement is the 366th episode.

It has helped attract 1.2million subscribers to his YouTube subscribers, and scored a coup when Ed Miliband appeared in the show in the run-up to the election.

Published: 20 Aug 2015