Facing mounting allegations of rape and assault, popular French singer and actor Patrick Bruel announced on Friday the cancellation of all his concerts until the fall, including dates in Paris and festivals. He is not expected to return to the stage to perform before October.
Issued on: 30/05/2026 - 12:40
3 min Reading time
Bruel is a major figure in French pop culture, with multiple top-selling albums to his name, and has appeared in more than 40 films. He is the latest in a string of French film and music celebrities accused of sexual assault and faces several probes in France and Belgium, with more expected to be announced. His tour, scheduled to end in November, was set to begin with three concerts from 16 - 18 June at the Cirque d'Hiver in Paris, which have now been cancelled. "We would like to remind everyone that Patrick Bruel is free to pursue his career. The public is free to attend his concerts or not," said 14 Productions, the company managed by Bruel himself. Abuse in French entertainment sector 'endemic', parliamentary report finds Several festival organisers have reported experiencing "pressure" and "being hindered in the smooth organisation of their events," over the summer, the production company said. "We do not wish under any circumstances to expose either the organisers or the public to a climate of tension." A dozen concerts are affected by the summer cancellations: one in Switzerland, one in Belgium, and the others in France, according to the dates listed on the artist's official website. Three concerts scheduled for December in the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec have also been cancelled, events company Gestev said last week. Women need to speak out Amid the legal and media turmoil, the 67-year-old artist has also chosen to withdraw from the upcoming Enfoirés charity shows, of which he had not missed a single edition since 1993. He had even co-written the annual anthem in 2024. "I hope to see you again when justice has proven my innocence," Bruel wrote in a message to the other members, revealed by broadcaster RTL. Among the thirty or so women accusing him of sexual violence are a masseuse, a former press officer, and television presenter Flavie Flament, who claims to have been raped in 1991, when she was 16 years old. "We must continue to bring into public discourse extremely clear messages that encourage women to speak out, even decades later," government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon told broadcaster France 2 last Tuesday. Stars of French cinema testify at parliamentary inquiry into sexual harassment "We must all work toward a political, media and judicial system that allows women who have been victims of sexist and sexual violence to speak out, to say it publicly, and to be heard by the justice system," she added. In the eyes of feminist associations and several mayors of cities where he was scheduled to perform, Bruel must refrain from going on stage until the investigations are complete. After a petition demanding the cancellation of his tour – signed by more than 47,000 people – the pressure intensified on Wednesday evening. A performance of the play "Deuxième partie" (Second Part), in which he stars in Paris, was interrupted for several minutes by activists from the feminist collective Nous Toutes (All of Us) in Paris. Endangering women "Bruel! Rapist!" they chanted, wearing masks bearing the star's image, before being escorted out by security. In a statement, Nous Toutes asserted that by keeping him on the programme, theatres were "endangering all women who "are in close or distant contact with a suspected aggressor." Last Monday, prosecutors said they had reopened an investigation targeting Bruel over an alleged rape in 2015. His accuser, Ophelie Fajfer, was 19 years old at the time of the alleged rape, her lawyer Myriam Guedj Benayoun told broadcaster BFMTV. Fajfer – then a young composer – had gone to Bruel's holiday residence in southern France in hopes of receiving professional advice from the singer, she said. France changes criminal code to define rape as sex without consent The Nanterre prosecutor's office in the western suburbs of Paris is already handling three investigations into rape allegations against Bruel involving incidents that allegedly took place in 1997, 2000 and 2008. A probe has also been opened in Belgium following a complaint regarding an alleged sexual assault. Two women also filed another complaint last week for rape and sexual assault, which should lead to a new investigation. He denies all the accusations. "I have never forced a woman," Bruel wrote on Instagram last Sunday. "And if I may have hurt anyone, I sincerely regret it." (with AFP)
