Comedian Vittorio Angelone has issued a public apology after making a joke about Rebecca Goodwin, who is currently going through a sexual assault trial. The remark, made during a Have A Word podcast roast, referenced her being raped and alleged the culprit was 'her dad'. Angelone has now called the joke 'pathetic' and 'not funny' following widespread online backlash.
Backlash and Apology
Rebecca Goodwin took to social media to express how 'deeply hurt' she was by the comment, which had been shared across various platforms. The joke was recorded in late 2025, just months after she first reported the assault to the police. Although the roast was initially behind a paywall, it recently gained traction when non-paying viewers were able to watch and share it.
In response to the backlash, Angelone wrote: 'I made a joke that I shouldn't have made and I'd like to say sorry. The joke referenced sexual violence. At the very least I should have run the joke past the person mentioned and then still not told it because it isn't funny. I let my need for validation supersede my own standards and morals. It's completely pathetic and I'm ashamed to realise that about myself.'
Comedian's Explanation
Angelone explained that he 'prides' himself on tackling difficult topics and making them entertaining, and while he 'stands behind' other criticised jokes, 'this is not one of them'. He went on to apologise to anyone who is 'rightly upset' by the remark but acknowledged that it is 'not going to make it okay'. He said he was 'grateful' for being called out, especially by so many people, adding: 'I will do better in future'.
Rebecca's Response
Rebecca shared on Facebook: 'In a way I am grateful I never saw it sooner because it would've been just weeks after it happened and I was in a different mental state to what I am now.' She noted that Adam Rowe, Daniel Sloss, and Freddy Quinne – who the 'joke' was aimed at – had reached out to apologise, but at the time of writing, Vittorio had not.
Rebecca continued: 'Their apology only came a year after the joke was made and nobody had my back in that room at the time, up until I made a social media post about it. So their apology has been acknowledged but not accepted.' Angelone's public apology came around six hours after Rebecca's Facebook post, and he claimed to have reached out privately too.
'As someone who has built his career as a leftist comedian, I am upset by his actions but never surprised anymore,' she penned. Rebecca, who is currently pregnant, asked for all material connected to her, both current and scheduled, to be removed from the podcast and its social media. 'And if there's any light to be taken from this, I hope we learn a lesson and I hope this is another point proven in the advocacy for women and girls in this femicide,' she concluded.
Various rape charities have criticised Angelone and the podcast for including the 'joke' and urged anyone impacted to reach out for support.
