Highlights
- Jonathan Ross has addressed a joke he made about David Walliams and a 15-year-old at the 2004 British Comedy Awards.
- The presenter described the joke as tasteless and said he would not make it today.
- Ross also expressed horror over the allegations against Walliams and Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault convictions.
Television presenter Jonathan Ross has revisited a controversial joke he made about David Walliams more than two decades ago, following sexual misconduct allegations against the comedian and author.
Footage from the 2004 British Comedy Awards has resurfaced after multiple women accused Walliams of inappropriate behaviour, including allegations of grooming when they were teenagers.
Ross has since addressed the joke, explaining that he believed it referred to Walliams's publicly discussed relationships with younger women rather than any actual events. He also said he was unaware of the allegations against his former friend at the time.
Jonathan Ross addresses controversial 2004 joke
At the 2004 British Comedy Awards, Ross made a joke about Walliams potentially going home with a 15-year-old.
"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," he said at the event.
Addressing the resurfaced footage in a statement to the Press Association, Ross acknowledged how shocking the joke appeared when viewed in the context of the current allegations.
He explained that the line had been submitted by the Comedy Awards' scriptwriting team and that he understood it to be an exaggerated reference to Walliams's publicly discussed dating history.
"It is also a tasteless joke that I would not dream of making today about anyone, but that is beside the point," he said.
Ross added that he would have refused to deliver the joke had he suspected it referred to actual events. He also said he would not have felt comfortable continuing a personal or professional relationship with Walliams if he had known about such conduct.
Jonathan Ross expresses horror over allegations against David Walliams
Ross also spoke about his past friendship with Walliams and Russell Brand, saying he was unaware of their alleged or criminal conduct during the period when they were on friendly terms.
In a separate statement, the presenter said he was horrified by the allegations against Walliams and Brand's crimes.
"My thoughts are with the many, many women who have bravely come forward," he added.
The comments come after a joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News published allegations from several women who accused Walliams of sexual misconduct. Some alleged that he groomed them when they were teenagers, while others described inappropriate behaviour in professional settings.
Walliams has denied all the allegations against him. In a statement shared with the media organisations, he said he was "not a sexual predator" and had not broken the law.
He acknowledged that he had sometimes behaved thoughtlessly towards people with whom he had casual sexual relationships and regretted not always taking their feelings into account.
Russell Brand sentenced to more than 10 years in prison
Ross's statement also addressed Russell Brand, who was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Brand's conviction and sentencing have brought renewed attention to his past associations within the entertainment industry.
Ross and Brand were previously involved in the controversy known as Sachsgate, when they left lewd voicemails for actor Andrew Sachs during a BBC Radio 2 broadcast in 2008.
The incident concerned Sachs's granddaughter Georgina Baillie, who was in a consensual relationship with Brand at the time.
Meanwhile, the allegations against Walliams have prompted further scrutiny of safeguarding and power imbalances within the television industry, with several women speaking publicly about their experiences.
