Fielding reacts to resurfaced jokes
Noel Fielding expressed that he is "appalled" by jokes he made alongside Russell Brand during previous TV and live appearances. The Great British Bake Off presenter told The Sun he was "horrified and deeply disturbed" to learn of the crimes after the disgraced comedian was jailed for rape and sexual assault. Brand received a 10 and a half years prison sentence for raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others. I find Fielding’s admission that his jokes were "horrible and inappropriate" a necessary acknowledgment of the footage that resurfaced following Brand’s conviction. On an episode of the Big Fat Quiz of the Year with Jonathan Ross, Fielding and Brand joked about rape. Another clip from a 2007 BBC Radio 2 broadcast of The Russell Brand Show shows Fielding responding to a joke about a grasshopper being 12: "How do you even know if it’s a child or an adult? You don’t even care, do you". In that recording, Brand said he had had problems because he thought a grasshopper was above age before he was kissing it and it told him it was 12. The pair also performed charity gigs together as The Goth Detectives. Fielding, who appeared on TV, radio and live charity shows with Brand, stated that he considered their relationship professional rather than personal and has had no contact with the comedian for many years. He noted that while they played it up for the cameras and the media, he did not view it as a personal bond. Jonathan Ross also released a statement to distance himself from the remarks. He said his thoughts are with the many women who came forward.
Brand remains in custody
The disgraced entertainer remains detained at HMP Wandsworth. Police say they are investigating rape allegations made by two more women. These new allegations followed previous claims made in interviews with The Times and a Netflix documentary. Brand denies all non-consensual sexual activity. The Times stated that it could not publish its investigation until the criminal case had ended. I see the continuous arrival of new allegations as a heavy weight on the legal process while Brand serves his 10.5 year sentence. BBC News has asked his legal representatives for a response to the latest allegations. I find the influx of new claims from multiple women particularly significant because of the gravity of the rape charges.
