LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Russell Brand's father-in-law, legendary golfer Bernard Gallacher, reportedly "begged" his daughter Laura Gallacher to leave the actor-comedian when they first started dating in 2007.
While Brand recently found himself in the middle of a major controversy after being accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by four women between 2006 to 2013, Gallacher asked his daughter to leave Brand long before the allegations came to light.
Laura was reportedly a teenager and 13 years junior to Brand when they first began their relationship, per the Daily Mail.
Gallacher was allegedly not impressed by the match and concerned about the couple's significant age-gap, the outlet noted.
Bernard Gallacher began golfing at the age of 11
Gallacher was born in Bathgate, Scotland and reportedly took up golf at the age of 11, per his bio on the website of DP World Tour.
He won the Lothians Golf Association Boys Championship in 1965 and the Scottish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship in 1967.
After turning to professional golfing, Gallacher won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award in 1968.
In 1969, Gallacher became the then youngest winner of the Harry Vardon Trophy. He was also the youngest man to represent Great Britain and Ireland in The Ryder Cup, a record that was later beaten by Nick Faldo, Sergio Garcia and Paul Way.
Gallacher went on to become one of the most prominent names in the European Tour, winning ten times between 1974 and 1984. He also finished in the top ten on the European Tour Order of Merit five times between 1972 and 1982.
He competed in eight Ryder Cup Matches before becoming the non-playing Captain of the European Team in 1991, 1993 and 1995.
After turning 50, Gallacher played on the European Seniors Tour, with his first senior win coming at The Mobile Cup in 2002.
Bernard Gallacher was unimpressed with Laura Gallacher's relationship with Russell Brand
Laura reportedly first met Brand when he was on Radio 2 through her elder sister, Kirsty, who was a presenter on Sky Sports News for 20 years.
The news of their relationship first came to light when the pair were spotted walking along a beach together in Mauritius, as per the Daily Mail.
Brand and Laura reportedly parted ways by early 2007, allegedly at the wishes of Gallacher, who was worried about his daughter's tender years and her age difference with the comedian, the outlet reported.
"He begged her to end it," a friend said at the time. As Laura was known as a popular, bright and talented girl, her father was reportedly unimpressed by her choice of partner, the publication mentioned.
A source close to Gallacher told the Daily Mail, "Bernard is a very strait-laced guy, with no side to him. So in that sense he and Brand are chalk and cheese."
Brand and Laura were quick to rekindle their romance following their first split. Nearly a year after the break-up, Brand reportedly took a 20-year-old Laura to a luxury five-star resort in the Atlas mountains near Marrakech.
The comedian's friends reportedly believed that he was ready to settle down. However, Laura and Brand parted ways once again by early 2008.
Nearly a year later, in April 2009, Laura was seen exiting Brand’s East London home several times in the space of a fortnight, as per the Daily Mail.
In 2015, the duo were spotted walking arm in arm in the village of Baltonsborough in Somerset.
In early 2016, it was revealed that Laura was expecting her first child with Brand. At the time, Gallacher told the publication that he and his wife Lesley were "very happy" about the "positive" news of Laura's pregnancy.
Laura and Brand welcomed their daughter, Mabel, in November 2017 before finally tying the knot in 2017. Their second daughter, Peggy, arrived in July 2018.
The pair are currently expecting their third child together.
What did Laura Gallacher say about Russell Brand allegations?
Laura is yet to break her silence over the allegations against Brand. However, she has reportedly deleted her Instagram account in the wake of the scandal.
A friend reportedly told the Daily Mail that Laura and Brand are "determined" to get through the situation.
"What Russell did was firmly in the past, way before he and Laura met," they said. "Of course it isn't easy but they are determined to get through this," the friend claimed.
Brand has denied all the allegations made against him in a video uploaded to YouTube and claimed that all his past relationships were "consensual."
