A joke referencing convicted rapist Russell Brand has been removed from a Gavin & Stacey Christmas special on BBC iPlayer.
The comedian, 51, was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. His trial came more than three years after Channel 4's Dispatches publicly accused Brand of sexually assaulting other women between 2006 and 2013.
Scene edited in 2009 special
It has now emerged that a joke from Gavin & Stacey's 2009 Christmas special, starring and written by Ruth Jones and James Corden, has been cut from the episode. It is not known exactly when the edit was made.
In the original broadcast, Nessa, played by Jones, returns to the dinner table after settling baby Neil to sleep, telling the group: "I had to read to him to get him off." When Pam, portrayed by Alison Steadman, asked whether she had been reading Neil a fairy story, Nessa responds: "No. Russell Brand: My Booky Wook. He's loving every word."
While this exchange still currently features in the episode available on BBC iPlayer, another part of the scene has been deleted. The deleted scene involves Nessa telling Stacey, played by Joanna Page, that they didn't receive a mention in the comedian's autobiography. Stacey said: "Aw that's a shame. I'm quite disappointed, are you?", to which Nessa replied: "Don't be, Stace. We had a cracking night, Pam. All three of us."
Viewers spot edit after allegations
In the version currently available on iPlayer, the conversation between Stacey and Nessa has been removed, with Nessa now praising Pam's turkey instead. The original scene remains intact in versions of the episode available for purchase on other platforms.
Viewers spotted the edit in November 2023, shortly after the Dispatches allegations emerged, prompting the BBC to respond at the time: "This version was uploaded to BBC iPlayer in error. The original version will be on BBC iPlayer shortly."
Brand's memoir, published in 2007, chronicled the now-disgraced comedian's journey to stardom and struggles with drug addiction. It has since been pulled from circulation by publishers Pan Macmillan and Hodder & Stoughton following his criminal conviction.
Conviction and aftermath
Following Brand's conviction, numerous troubling clips from his television career have re-emerged. These include jokes about rape on Channel 4's Big Fat Quiz of the Year and him asking Vanessa Feltz if he could "have it off" with her daughters despite the youngest being 15 at the time.
Brand received a sentence of 10 years and six months in prison on Monday (9 November) after being convicted of rape and three sexual assaults. Mr Justice Bennathan informed Southwark Crown Court that he will serve a minimum of two thirds of that sentence.
In a victim impact statement read aloud in court on Monday, a woman who was sexually assaulted by Brand at Choice FM in 2005 described the comedian as "a sexual predator who has no remorse for how his behaviour has impacted my life".
