Yes, smear campaigns are a real thing but we're talking not only about the right-wing Times, but also Channel4 which by no stretch of the imagination can be thought of as right leaning.

On the documentary, 4 different women who apparently don't know each other and haven't been paid and who tell stories that relate very similar behaviours by Brand, all of whom have witnesses corroborating their stories and at least one who has phone records confirmed by phone companies to be accurate make claims of abuse and/or rape.

There is also a lot of material from former colleagues, employers and industry insiders supporting the idea that Brand is a controlling, vindictive narcissist, which whilst not in itself criminal, certainly lends a lot of credence to the already very believable claims his accusers make.

Taken together its most definitely on the same level of authenticity that Saville is now judged by.