Jonathan Ross 'horrified' by David Walliams allegations and Russell Brand conviction
Broadcaster Jonathan Ross is "horrified" by the conviction of Russell Brand and the inappropriate sexual conduct allegations against David Walliams, and he has addressed a resurfaced joke he made about Walliams in 2004.
Jonathan Ross is "horrified" by allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct against David Walliams, and the crimes of Russell Brand.
The 65-year-old broadcaster has spoken out after Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison this week after he was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Also this week, Walliams was revealed as the celebrity behind an injunction to prevent the publication of allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct.
A three-year joint investigation by ITV News and The Guardian revealed a series of allegations dating back to 2003 that Walliams contacted teenage girls and young women for sexual purposes.
Ross said in a statement: "I am as horrified by the revelations about David Walliams and the crimes of Russell Brand as the rest of the nation.
"There was a time in my life when I was on friendly terms with both men, and during that period I was genuinely unaware of their conduct.
"My thoughts are with the many, many women who have bravely come forward."
Ross also made reference to resurfaced footage of him making a joke about Walliams at the 2004 British Comedy Awards.
In his opening monologue at the event, he told the audience: "The Comedy Awards is 15 years old. 15 years old. And like all 15 year olds, it’s drunk, it’s unpredictable and it’s probably going home with David Walliams."
Ross has now called the controversial quip "tasteless", and said it is one he "would not dream of making today about anyone".
He added: "I recognise how deeply shocking it is to revisit footage of a joke delivered by me at the Comedy Awards in 2004, in which I make light of the notion of Walliams going home with a 15 year old.
"This joke was submitted to me by the Comedy Awards script writing team and I believed that the punchline was a reference to the fact he had publicly dated younger women, exaggerated for comic effect.
"It is also a tasteless joke that I would not dream of making today about anyone, but that is beside the point.
"Had I had any reason to suspect that it might be referring to actual events, I would not only have refused to use it, but I would not have felt comfortable continuing a personal or professional relationship with him.
"I also like to think that I would have acted upon that knowledge."
Walliams denies all the allegations.
In a statement to The Guardian and ITV News, the comedian said: "Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with… I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret.
"And whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did…
"I am not a sexual predator… I have not broken the law… I am devastated that some of the women I met ten to twenty years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me."
