Noel Fielding has broken his silence with a scathing statement following Russell Brand's sentencing. Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months after being found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Fielding, who worked with Brand on numerous occasions over the years, had not previously commented on the case.
Fielding's statement
Speaking to The Sun, Fielding said: "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 added: "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."
Background
Fielding and Brand worked together on numerous occasions in the past, including TV appearances and live charity events. The pair's professional collaborations are now under renewed scrutiny following Brand's conviction.
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