Newly-baptised Russell Brand helps kick off Tucker Carlson's US tour with prayer asking God to bring 'unity' at the Presidential election (after a joke about sneaking into America illegally and trafficking 'a few kids' with him)

Just over four months after his baptism, Russell Brand has led prayers as he joined Tucker Carlson on a US tour and asked God to bring 'unity' to America through the Presidential election.

The British comedian and thinker was once a supporter of British hard-left socialist Jeremy Corbyn - now he is an avowed Trump supporter who on stage in Phoenix asked God to shine a light on 'dark forces' operating the 'deep state'.

Mr Brand's prayer as he closed the $100-a-head show at a packed out arena in Arizona came after he was baptised in the River Thames near his home outside London in late April. 

Right-wing star Tucker Carlson asked him to help kick off his live tour on Wednesday night in the battleground state of Arizona. But he barely mentioned Donald Trump and instead concentrated on his faith in discussion with the Briton.

Introducing him to fans, Tucker said Russell was one of the people he 'most admires' and at the end of the show bowed his head as Mr Brand knelt and gave a communal prayer without notes.

'I pray in your name that the forthcoming election be an opportunity for unity for America and Americans', the comedian said. He went on to pray for God to guide and forgive the 'dark and demonic forces that appear to operate at the level of the state, the deep state and the corporate and global world', asking that they 'experience your light lord'.

He went on: 'Thank you for the glory of consciousness itself.. thank you for the many leader.. and hat we may have eternal life. Not through merit or anything we have individually achieved because surely we are all fallen'.

Tucker and Russell then did a simultaneous 'amen' to cheers from the crowd.

Earlier they had spoken about their faith and the state of the world, which Russell said was in a 'weird' place.

He then made the crowd and Tucker laugh by saying: 'Thank you so much for having me, a foreigner, in your country. Obviously, it was quite easy to get in, no passport, just traipsed in past the border. Trafficked a few kids over'.

The former sex and drug addict has said that he has turned to Jesus and learned that 'by doing really, really good things, you can get redeemed'. 

He announced in May that he has become a Christian, and was baptised in the Thames. 

Since turning to God the star, dropped from the recent Despicable Me movie, has also been backed by investors behind the Catholic prayer and meditation app, Hallow, which he says he uses 'every day'.

In a recent video he said that the more he prayers the more 'coincidences' there are in his life. 

'God is working me into the shape that he needs me to be', he said.

'Not that I’ve entirely changed as a person. Of course, I haven’t, but I’ve taken on a lot of new concepts, and it changes you to accept that it’s not like you’re in a game show, and by doing really, really good things, you can get redeemed'.

Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan. Disgraced comedian Brand was fully immersed in the River Thames this spring.

Brand's spiritual rebirth has been mirrored by an upturn in his earthly fortunes. Thames Valley Police has closed its investigation into allegations by a woman that he stalked and harassed her between 2018 and 2022.

Brand is understood to remain the subject of a parallel inquiry by the Metropolitan Police over various allegations of sexual offences.

He has been accused by four women of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse alleged to have been committed during a seven-year period from 2006 to 2013 when he was at the height of his fame and working for the BBC and Channel 4 as well as acting in Hollywood films.

Brand has strenuously denied the allegations, insisting his relationships were 'always consensual'.

Brand said he got baptised as he saw it as 'an opportunity to leave the past behind' and 'leave behind the sins'.

He previously said he was a Buddhist, and hours after his baptism he posted online a video in which he discussed predicting the future with tarot cards.

In March, Brand said he'd visited Anglican and Catholic churches and was considering Orthodox ones. 

He has made repeated references to Catholicism in his online missives and recently used a rosary to pray. 

He says he has used a Catholic prayer app, Hallow, and watched the videos of a YouTube Catholic priest, Father Mike Schmitz.