Carson Daly announced as co-anchor of Saturday TODAY

Russell Brand, the risqué comic who bragged for years of his sexual exploits, was convicted Thursday of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others on allegations dating back years. The British actor-comedian faces a “significant” prison term when he is sentenced Monday, Judge Joel Bennathan said. Brand had been free, but he was taken into custody after the judge rejected a bail request to let him see his kids because of the possibility he might flee. “I regret the hardship caused to the children, of course,” the judge said. “But the hardship has been caused by serious criminal offending by their father.” Brand was a ruthless, calculating, manipulative “sexual predator, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones said at trial. The 51-year-old father of three denied the charges and testified that he was obsessed with sex as a young man and once led a promiscuous life but had never forced anyone to do something against their will. Brand shows no emotion and tells lawyers ‘I’m