COMEDIAN and actor Russell Brand has confirmed he will visit a Yarnton addiction hub in the coming weeks.

During a gig at the New Theatre on Wednesday night, Mr Brand was called to visit by a member of the audience, Chantelle Jeffries, who was treated at The Ley Community three years ago.

The 41-year-old, who was himself a drug addict but has been clean for many years, confirmed he would be visiting the residential rehab centre and later reaffirmed his intentions on Twitter.

The visit, which will be a private, closed event for current residents and staff at The Ley Community, would be the latest in a series of talks hosted by the charity in recent months.

In March, former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell and his son Calum gave candid accounts of their own battles with alcoholism and addiction over the years.

The Ley Community chief executive Darren Worthington said: “We are really looking forward to welcoming Russell on site and can’t wait to pin a date down.”

During the gig at the George Street venue, Mr Brand also had high praise for staff at the Spires Midwifery-led Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital, where his daughter Mabel was born last November – although he had brought his own private midwife.

A group of Oxford midwives was present at the event and received a standing ovation from the audience when Mr Brand, who lives in Henley, introduced them, and again when he said they had asked him to say ‘keep supporting the NHS’.