Former Hillsong church leader Brian Houston has denied that his X account was hacked after an explicit video was shared from his social media profile.
The post, an eight-minute explicit video from an adult website, appeared on Houston’s account early on Wednesday before being removed later the same day.
Shortly afterwards, the post was deleted and an assistant claimed the account had been compromised. However, the video remained visible for several hours despite assurances that it had been removed.
An update from Houston’s account then explained that he had been hacked and said that the issue was being investigated. However, people in the comments questioned the speed at which the account had been recovered from hackers.
The explanation post was subsequently removed.
In a later statement, Houston denied that his account had been hacked, instead suggesting someone had temporarily gained access to his phone account. He did not provide further details.
It is not the first time questionable content has appeared on Brian Houston’s X account. In 2024, his assistant issued a similar explanation after the account posted the phrase “Ladies and girls kissing,” later claiming the account had been hacked in a “deliberate attempt to embarrass and discredit” him.
Houston has previously faced scrutiny over his conduct while leading Hillsong, including allegations of misconduct and substance abuse involving two women, which he vehemently denied. The controversy ultimately led to his departure from the church in 2022.