A clip of Russell Brand joking about rape has resurfaced after he was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The 51-year-old, once one of Britain's most recognisable stars, rose to fame as a stand-up comedian before moving to Hollywood, where he landed roles in a string of comedy films. He now faces years in prison after a jury found him guilty of rape, while he was found not guilty on two further counts of rape and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.
2007 Big Fat Quiz Clip Goes Viral
Since the verdict was handed down, old videos of Brand have been going viral on social media, including one from his appearance on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year in 2007. In the video, Brand jokes about rape while sitting alongside Jonathan Ross, Noel Fielding, and host Jimmy Carr.
The joke centred on Lily Allen, who was a guest on the Channel 4 show. During the clip, Ross expressed his "concern" for the singer, given that she was sat in close proximity to Fielding and Brand, who he described as "two of the best-known c***smen in the business". Ross then suggested he swap places with Allen, so she could sit closer to Rob Brydon and David Mitchell, meaning she "might go home with her dress still on".
Fielding and Brand Exchange
Fielding interjected: "How dare you, we’re not rapists," prompting laughter from the audience. Carr then questioned why Fielding had chosen to wear a cape on the show "if [he] wasn't a rapist", with the former Bake Off star admitting he was wearing a Jack the Ripper cape.
"He wasn’t a rapist, he was a…," Fielding quipped, prompting Brand to clarify: "Serial murderer." Brand added: "There is no direct corollary between rapes and capes; it’s just a rhyme. Leave him alone. What if, horror of horrors, he ain’t even done a rape? You could ruin his reputation," which also sparked a laugh from the audience.
Allen's 2023 Reflection
Allen reflected on the exchange in 2023, after an investigation by journalists from The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches published accusations from women who said they had been raped, sexually abused, and degraded by the entertainer. At the time, Allen recalled "there are comments, I think, about me being raped or something". She added: "And I laugh along with it. In retrospect, that’s really horrendous. It makes me uncomfortable, but I don’t think I felt that at the time, because it was the culture."
Brand was found guilty of raping a 21-year-old woman he met after a comedy gig at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2009. He was also convicted of sexually assaulting an MTV worker at a Soho bar, a woman at the Choice FM studios, and a Channel 4 worker who had been told to give him a massage.
