Russell Brand joined Robert F Kennedy Jr for a fundraising event last week, stirring speculation that the comedian may support the vaccine-sceptical health secretary for a rumoured presidential run in 2028.

Mr Kennedy held a super Pac (political action committee) call on Wednesday with hundreds of supporters and influencers aimed at energising his Make America Healthy Again (Maha) base.

Although a bid for the White House was not explicitly discussed, insiders told Axios that the call suggested Mr Kennedy is considering another run for the White House, after pulling out of the race in 2024 to support Donald Trump.

Mr Kennedy was joined on the call by several speakers including Mr Brand, who is facing charges of rape and sexual assault which he denies. The comedian backed the health secretary’s previous run for president and performed at one of his campaign events.

Mr Brand has since grown close to Mr Kennedy, with the health secretary sharing a photo on social media in February of him holding a lizard alongside the comedian and a topless Dr Mehmet Oz, the head of the Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services.