Lesley Douglas, controller of both stations, has put Brand in the 9-11pm Saturday night slot previously occupied by a documentary strand.
The transfer from 6 Music, which has a 0.2% share of listening, to the nation's most-listened to radio station will give Brand's already high profile another boost.
It will also attract younger listeners to Radio 2, which this year replaced drivetime veteran Johnnie Walker with Chris Evans to the dismay of a small core of listeners.
There was further controversy after a leak of the salaries it pays to star DJs Terry Wogan, who was on £800,000 a year for his daily breakfast show, and Jonathan Ross, who was on £530,000 a year for his weekly show and later secured a three-year BBC deal worth £18m.
Brand, a rising star known for his dandyish fashion sense, recovery from drug addiction and reputation as a lothario, made the leap from the stand-up circuit to TV with MTV and Channel 4, which has given him mainstream fame and acres of press attention.
Channel 4 gave Brand his own show on E4, 'Russell Brand's Got Issues', in September after he impressed with a turn as host of 'Big Brother's Big Mouth'.
Similarly, his 6 Music Sunday morning show has proved a springboard and is judged to have helped the station increase listeners 13% over three months to 400,000.
The show, for which Brand is joined by friends Trevor Lock and Matt Morgan, debuted in April. Brand had already had radio experience through a Sunday show on Xfm.
Another comedian, Russell Howard, has been lined up to take over the 6 Music show.
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