Richard Osman has said he thought convicted rapist Russell Brand was "awful" and "talentless" from the very beginning of his television career. The presenter and TV producer was speaking after Brand was convicted of three counts of assault and one count of rape earlier this week (November 19).
Early career at Endemol UK
Osman was working as creative director at production company Endemol UK during the mid-noughties, when Brand was becoming a familiar face on television after being hired to present Big Brother spin-off programmes. Reflecting on Brand's early days in the entertainment industry, Osman made it clear he was never impressed by his work.
He said: "I've never worked with him, never met him. Right from the beginning, I thought he was awful. I thought he's talentless, all of that."
Reputation and appeal
Osman went on to suggest he had heard negative things about Brand's reputation, adding that he understood him to be "a sleaze". He also questioned whether Brand belonged in the comedy or entertainment industries at all, arguing that the comedian's appeal was centred on himself rather than working as part of a team.
"I can't think of any actual comedy producer who'd be particularly interested in working with him because there's nothing there, and the only thing that is there is himself," he said. He continued: "Yeah, it's not someone who can be collegiate, so I definitely knew that about him."
Conviction and sentence
Osman recalled knowing who Brand was while he was working on MTV, but said his work was not something that interested him. Brand first rose to wider fame in the early 2000s before going on to become a high-profile comedian, presenter and actor.
Brand was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison. Brand had denied the allegations made against him and said his relationships were consensual.
