Singer and actor Patrick Bruel has been a household name in France for decades, but in the past few weeks he has hit the headlines facing shock charges of sexual assault and rape. As accusations against the former teen heartthrob multiply, members of his loyal female fanbase are defending the star.
Bruel was 30 years old when he became a household name in France singing radio-friendly pop-rock hits.
He quickly garnered heartthrob status among his largely female fanbase; such was the fervour around him that the media coined the phrase “Bruelmania”.
Currently starring in a play in Paris, Bruel, who is also an acclaimed actor, has faced a firestorm of controversy in recent weeks following claims by several women that he sexually assaulted them, with some alleged incidents dating back decades.
French investigative news outlet Mediapart in March published testimony from eight women claiming the star “acted inappropriately” towards them between 1992 and 2019. One was a minor when the alleged sexual assault took place.
France’s Elle magazine this week published an investigation in which four more women accused Bruel of rape and sexual assault.
Two women in France and one in Belgium have brought charges against Bruel for rape or attempted rape.
His lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, has rejected the allegations. Bruel “maintains he never rejected a refusal (to have sex), never forced anyone into a sexual act or relationship”, he said.
‘He stole my first time’
Bruel’s enduring popularity – which may in part be due to his likeable, media-friendly persona – has seen him achieve both critical and commercial success.
As well as being one of France’s most high-profile singers with four decades of chart-topping albums, Brunel is also a noted actor.
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