Jonathan Ross says he is horrified by allegations against David Walliams and Russell Brand's conviction
TV presenter Jonathan Ross expressed shock at recent sexual misconduct allegations involving David Walliams and the rape conviction of Russell Brand, while noting he was unaware of any wrongdoing at the time.
Jonathan Ross said he was "horrified" by the allegations of sexual misconduct against David Walliams and by Russell Brand's recent rape conviction. In a statement, Ross said he had been on friendly terms with both men but was genuinely unaware of their conduct at the time.
Ross added that he was "as horrified by the revelations about David Walliams and the crimes of Russell Brand as the rest of the nation" and expressed sympathy for the women who have come forward.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described the Walliams allegations as "the latest in a long line of reported abuses of power" in the media and said Brand's conviction highlighted the reliance on brave women and persistent journalists to expose such behaviour.
The BBC removed "Little Britain" from its iPlayer platform after the allegations were reported. The investigation, conducted by ITV News and the Guardian, includes claims that Walliams groomed several women when they were teenagers. Walliams has denied the accusations and said he is not a sexual predator, acknowledging that he sometimes behaved thoughtlessly in casual relationships.
Russell Brand was sentenced to ten-and-a-half years in prison for one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The Metropolitan Police confirmed they have been approached by several people regarding the case but have not yet received any formal reports.
Ross also addressed a 2004 comedy-award joke that referenced Walliams and described it as "tasteless," saying the punchline was supplied by the script-writing team and that he would have refused it had he suspected it referred to actual events.
"These allegations are the latest in a long line of reported abuses of power in an industry where we have known for so long that the power imbalances are huge," Lisa Nandy said.
"Women must feel safe in their jobs, whistleblowers must be protected, and those who abuse their position must no longer be able to hide behind it," she added.
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