Great British Bake-Off host Noel Fielding has broken his silence after his former comedy partner Russell Brand was convicted of rape and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.
“I was horrified and deeply disturbed to learn of Russell Brand’s crimes, which I was completely unaware of until they became public knowledge,” Fielding, 53, told The Sun in a Friday, November 13, statement. “My thoughts are with the women whose courage brought him to justice.”
Brand, 51, stood trial earlier this month, where he was found guilty on three counts of sexual assault and one count of rape. The Get Him to the Greek star, who was acquitted on three additional charges after having pleaded not guilty to all of the counts against him, was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison.
In light of Brand’s incarceration, resurfaced footage of the disgraced comedian and Fielding joking about rape on the Big Fat Quiz of the Year in 2007 made headlines. Fielding now openly regrets his previous comments.
“Looking back at some of the jokes I made alongside him, I was appalled,” he added in his statement. “They were horrible and inappropriate, and I very much regret them.”
Fielding further offered an update on his friendship status with Brand.
“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,” he noted. “I have had no contact with him for many years.”
Brand has long maintained his innocence since he was first accused of sexual misconduct in 2023.
“As I’ve written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous. Now during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual,” he claimed in a social media video published in September 2023. “I was always transparent about that then — almost too transparent. And I’m being transparent about it now as well. And to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question [if] there is another agenda at play.”
After his conviction and subsequent sentencing, Brand was accused of misconduct by six additional women, who told The Times of London on Thursday, November 12, that they were initially afraid to come forward but wanted to stand in solidarity with Brand’s alleged victims who testified in court.
London’s Metropolitan Police went on to confirm to Us that Brand remains under investigation for additional rape allegations from two unidentified women.
“The suspect has previously been interviewed under caution in connection with the allegations,” a Met spokesperson stated. “Files have been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to both complainants. Detectives remain in close contact with prosecutors as enquiries continue and further investigative work is carried out. Anyone who wishes to speak to detectives or make a report can contact the investigation team by email at CSOU@met.police.uk.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
