Noel Fielding has spoken out following Russell Brand's sentencing. Brand was jailed for 10 years and six months after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault following a trial. Noel collaborated with Brand numerous times throughout the years and had remained silent until now.
Professional relationship and shared appearances
Noel and Brand featured together on programmes including The Big Fat Quiz of the Year and both frequently appeared on panel shows and at awards ceremonies alongside each other. Noel also made guest appearances on Brand's radio shows.
The duo's final known appearance together was on The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer in 2019 (recorded in 2018) when Brand created a 3D biscuit showstopper depicting the birth of his second daughter. Noel was presenting the show at the time and continues in that capacity now, co-presenting with Alison Hammond.
Fielding's response
"I was horrified and deeply disturbed to learn of Russell Brand's crimes, which I was completely unaware of until they became public knowledge. My thoughts are with the women whose courage brought him to justice," he said. "I appeared on TV, radio and live charity shows with him, and whilst we played it up for the cameras and in the media, I considered it a professional relationship, rather than a personal one. I have had no contact with him for many years. Looking back at some of the jokes I made alongside him I was appalled. They were horrible and inappropriate, and I very much regret them," he told The Sun.
The duo first crossed paths at the NME Awards during the 2000s, though their respective careers diverged considerably for a period. While Brand was making his name hosting Big Brother's Big Mouth, Noel found his own success through comedy productions such as The Mighty Boosh.
Career since and other reactions
Since then, Noel has served as team captain on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and has co-hosted Bake Off since 2017. Alongside his comedy work, he has also taken on the lead role in the Apple TV+ comedy series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.
Noel's statement follows Jonathan Ross issuing his own response to Russell Brand's crimes and allegations against David Walliams, in which he described himself as "horrified".
He said: "I am as horrified by the revelations about David Walliams and the crimes of Russell Brand as the rest of the nation. There was a time in my life when I was on friendly terms with both men, and during that period I was genuinely unaware of their conduct. My thoughts are with the many, many women who have bravely come forward."
Ross then turned his attention to an old clip from a 2004 awards ceremony in which he was seen quipping: "The comedy awards is 15 years old - 15 years old! And like most 15 year olds, it's drunk, it's unpredictable and it's probably going home with David Walliams."
He clarified this evening that the joke had not been his own creation, stating: "I recognise how deeply shocking it is to revisit footage of a joke delivered by me at the Comedy Awards in 2004, in which I make light of the notion of Walliams going home with a 15 year old."
"This joke was submitted to me by the Comedy Awards script writing team and I believed that the punchline was a reference to the fact he had publicly dated younger women, exaggerated for comic effect."
"It is also a tasteless joke that I would not dream of making today about anyone, but that is beside the point. Had I had any reason to suspect that it might be referring to actual events, I would not only have refused to use it, but I would not have felt comfortable continuing a personal or professional relationship with him. I also like to think that I would have acted upon that knowledge."
