Old Noel Fielding rape-joke clip resurfaces after Russell Brand conviction
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The gist
A 2007 clip of Noel Fielding joking about rape alongside Russell Brand resurfaced after Brand's conviction.
Fielding was not accused of wrongdoing and had no part in Brand's trial.
Background
Noel Fielding is a comedian and host of The Great British Baking Show. In 2007 he appeared as a panellist on Channel 4's Big Fat Quiz of the Year, hosted by Jimmy Carr, alongside Russell Brand, a stand-up comic and actor. After Brand was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court (a London court), the old clip of the two joking about rape began recirculating on social media. Fielding has not been accused of any wrongdoing and was not involved in Brand's trial or conviction.
How it unfolded
- 2007Big Fat Quiz of the Year aired on Channel 4, hosted by Jimmy Carr with panellists including Noel Fielding, Russell Brand and singer Lily Allen, then 21 and the only woman on the show.
- 2023Lily Allen told Grazia that comments on the show about her being raped were "really horrendous" in retrospect.
- Nov 5, 2026Russell Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court; he was denied bail and remanded in custody.
- Nov 6, 2026A 2007 clip of Brand and Noel Fielding joking about rape on the quiz show resurfaced on social media following Brand's convictions.
Key terms
- Southwark Crown Court
- A Crown Court venue in London that hears serious criminal cases within the English court system.
- bail
- Pre-trial restrictions imposed on a charged person to ensure they do not obstruct justice and appear in court.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Public
- Singer Lily Allen, a panellist on the 2007 episode, told Grazia she laughed along at the time but now finds it "really horrendous" and uncomfortable, saying "it was the culture."
Still unverified
Brand is reported to be under investigation for two more alleged rapes, including one involving a 16-year-old schoolgirl, and police have warned further victims could still come forward.