Noel Fielding claims he’s ‘deeply disturbed’ by Russell Brand’s crimes in first statement

Noel Fielding has spoken out after Russell Brand’s conviction (Picture: Greg Allen/Shutterstock) Noel Fielding has broken his silence after the conviction of Russell Brand on rape and sexual abuse charges.

The Mighty Boosh creator was facing mounting pressure to address the situation, having worked with Brand on several occasions.

The disgraced comedian, 51, was sentenced to ten-and-a-half years in prison on Monday after being found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.

After his sentencing, police confirmed further women had come forward and prosecutors were assessing whether to bring additional charges.

Fielding, 53, had become closely associated with Brand due to their comedy duo appearances on shows like Big Fat Quiz.

In a statement to The Sun, Fielding said: ‘I was horrified and deeply disturbed to learn of Russell Brand’s crimes, which I was completely unaware of until they became public knowledge. My thoughts are with the women whose courage brought him to justice.

‘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.’

The Bake Off host said he has not been in contact with Brand ‘for many years’.

After the former actor’s conviction, old jokes made by him or other stars – including Fielding – began to resurface.

One video from 2007 saw the duo make an age ‘mistake’ when joking about insects.

Fielding, who appeared frequently as a co-host and guest on the show, says: ‘How do you even know if it’s a child or an adult? You don’t even care, do you?’

Brand, who was in his early 30s at the time, replied with Fielding laughing in the background: ‘It’s a mistake I’ve made. I’ve had enough problems in the past, because I thought a grasshopper was above age.’

In his statement, Fielding said he was ‘appalled’ by his past jokes, calling them ‘horrible and inappropriate’.

The allegations against Brand, made by six female complainants, spanned a 10-year period between 1999 and 2009.

Brand was found guilty of raping a 21-year-old fan after meeting her at a 2009 stand-up show at the Hammersmith Apollo, while his final two convictions saw him found guilty of kissing and groping a Capital Radio worker in a corridor in 2005, as well as groping an MTV worker during a party at a Soho bar in 2004.

He is reportedly set to be transferred to the prison where convicted paedophile and Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins was murdered.

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Brand is being assessed for a move from HMP Wandsworth, where he is currently serving out that years-long sentence, to HMP Wakefield.

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Get plugged into the week’s must-watch shows, unmissable moments, and expert reviews with Metro TV Editor Sabrina Barr.

Get plugged into the week’s must-watch shows, unmissable moments, and expert reviews with Metro TV Editor Sabrina Barr.