Russell Brand's Legendary Father-In-Law, Bernard Gallacher, Wasn't Always Pleased With Him

Impressing in-laws can be difficult for anyone, but comedian Russell Brand has his work cut out for him with his sports icon father-in-law Bernard Gallacher. Between Brand's famously flamboyant and defiant personality, his wife's father's straight-lace attitude, and accusations against Brand of rape, sexual assault, and emotional abuse, the relationship between the new son and father-in-law has been strained, to say the least.

Golf legend Bernard Gallacher is the father of author and illustrator Laura Gallacher Brand, who dated the "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" star on and off before settling down and marrying in 2017. An inside source told The Daily Mail that Gallacher implored his daughter to break up with Brand when they were still casually dating in the late 2000s. "He begged her to end it," the source told the outlet.

At the time of this alleged request, Brand was at the height of his fame as a deviant, boundary-pushing comedian and actor — a stark contrast to his reserved father-in-law. And it doesn't appear that Brand and Gallacher's bond has gotten much better.

While Russell Brand has made a name for himself as a promiscuous, off-the-wall rabble-rouser, his Scottish father-in-law Bernard Gallacher has led a far more quiet life as a highly respected, award-winning professional golfer. As an inside source told The Daily Mail, "Bernard is a very strait-laced guy, with no side to him. So, in that sense, he and Brand are chalk and cheese."

Chalk and cheese as they might be, Gallacher did offer a somewhat positive comment following the news of his daughter's pregnancy with the controversial comedian. The Glasgow Times reported that Laura Gallacher Brand's parents were excited to welcome their new grandchild. When asked about the news at their home southeast of London, Gallacher's wife, Lesley Gallacher, reportedly said, "Of course it's positive, and we are very happy, but I'd rather not say anything about it now."

For what it's worth, the Gallachers' reserved demeanor seems to have rubbed off on their daughter, which is one of the characteristics Brand has publicly praised about his wife Laura. "I feel sometimes like a refugee in my house with this woman, this calm, beautiful woman, who in the most beautiful way possible doesn't care about what I do. She's not interested, in the most delightful way," Brand said in a 2017 interview with The Guardian.

Though Russell Brand boasts a prolific career as a stand-up comedian, actor, producer, and writer, he most recently made headlines following explosive accusations against Brand first reported by The Times. Per the BBC, four women have accused Brand of raping, sexually assaulting, and emotionally abusing them between 2006 and 2013. One woman was only 16 years old at the time of the alleged assault, adding another shocking element to the scandal.

Brand's age gap with wife Laura Gallacher Brand is a sizeable 12-year age difference, although it's decidedly less scandalous now than it was when the couple first met when Laura was only 19 and Brand was 30. Nevertheless, Laura has appeared to remain quietly by her husband's side throughout his various criminal scandals. "What Russell did was firmly in the past, way before he and Laura met," a friend close to the couple told The Daily Mail. "Of course, it isn't easy, but they are determined to get through this."

Brand made a YouTube video on September 15, 2023, denouncing the allegations, emphasizing that his sexual encounters were consensual and part of his openly promiscuous lifestyle. Notably, Laura deleted her social media accounts following the video's publication. Her father and mother, Bernard and Lesley Gallacher, have not publicly commented on the matter.