Bake Off's Noel Fielding 'horrified' over Russell Brand's crimes

Noel Fielding said he didn't know about Russell Brand's crimes until they were made public <i>(Image: Yui Mok/PA)</i>
Noel Fielding said he didn't know about Russell Brand's crimes until they were made public (Image: Yui Mok/PA)
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The Great British Bake Off host Noel Fielding said he has had "no contact" with Russell Brand "for many years".

Fielding said he "was completely unaware" of Brand's crimes until they were made public.

His statement comes after Brand was jailed for 10 and a half years for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.

Noel Fielding breaks silence after Russell Brand jailed

In a statement issued 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.

"I have had no contact with him for many years.

"Looking back at some of the jokes I made alongside him I was appalled.

"They were horrible and inappropriate, and I very much regret them."

Brand and Fielding appeared together on Channel 4's Big Fat Quiz Of The Year and performed charity gigs together as The Goth Detectives.

Netflix documentary to tell Russell Brand's story

A new Netflix documentary will tell Brand's story from his rise to international fame to his dramatic fall from grace.

Russell Brand: Open Secret uses insiders' voices and delves into archive footage to offer an insight into the downfall of the 51-year-old.

It will also explore the Dispatches investigation for Channel 4 in September 2023, alongside The Times and Sunday Times, which led to the women coming forward to complain and ultimately the four convictions against Brand.

It will include his criminal trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Brand began his career as a TV presenter and comedian and became a Hollywood star, appearing in films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Hop and the Despicable Me franchise.

During a two-decade career, he cemented his status in the spotlight through his marriage to singer Katy Perry, and subsequent appearances on TV, radio, stage and podcasts.

He is expected to serve two-thirds of his sentence before being released on licence, and will be on the sex offenders' register for life.

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