Noel Fielding stays silent after former comedy partner Russell Brand’s conviction
Noel Fielding has yet to publicly comment on Russell Brand's conviction for rape and sexual assault, despite renewed interest in the pair's long-running professional association, with a women’s rights charity calling the “silence notable”.
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charity → stay → silence
Other women who worked at Channel 4, MTV and Capital Radio also accused the former television presenter of sexual misconduct.
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who → work → misconduct
Mr Justice Bennathan criticised Brand’s “staggering arrogance” as he sentenced him to 10-and-a-half years in prison.
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he → criticise → prison
The pair first met at the NME Awards in the early 2000s.
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pair → meet → 2000s
They separately rose to fame a few years later, as Brand became the host of Big Brother’s Big Mouth in 2006, while Fielding appeared in the comedy series The Might Boosh and The IT Crowd.
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Fielding → rise → series
They regularly appeared together on panel shows, at award ceremonies and on nights out up until 2012, becoming a staple of the British comedy scene.
One moment from the pair's heyday has recently resurfaced and drawn widespread criticism in the wake of Brand’s conviction.
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moment → appear → conviction
“I’m a bit concerned because look where you’ve put us,” Ross, who was sitting next to Allen, tells host Jimmy Carr in the clip.
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who → ’m → clip
“You’ve put the only sexually attractive young lady – well, the only young lady full stop, she happens to be very attractive as well – near two of the best-known cocksmen of the business.”
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she → put → business
Fielding laughed as he replied: “How dare you?
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you → laugh → ?
We’re not rapists,” while having some back-and-forth with host Jimmy Carr about Fielding’s Dracula cape.
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We → ’re → cape
Brand then quipped: “What if, horror of horrors, he ain’t even done a rape.
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he → quip → rape
You could ruin his reputation.
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You → ruin → reputation
Have you done a rape?”
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you → do → rape
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Fielding replies: “Well, if I have, I’d be leaving the scene of the crime like this,” before lifting his cape up to cover his face.
Grylls, a devout Christian who led the ceremony in the River Thames, said that he believed the actor’s conversion to Christianity seemed “genuine” to him.
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conversion → read → him
“It is right that justice has now been served.
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justice → serve → ?
I can’t imagine how hard this time has been for the victims, the heroes of the day,” he added.
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he → imagine → day
During his trial, Brand told the court he had been unable to persuade any friend or acquaintance to give evidence on his behalf.
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he → tell → behalf
Defence barrister, Ian Winter KC, asked him: “Will they touch you with a bargepole?”
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they → ask → bargepole
Brand replied: “No.”
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Brand → reply → ?
Fielding has not been accused of any wrongdoing and was not involved in Brand’s trial and conviction in any way.
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Fielding → accuse → way
Penny East, Chief Executive, Fawcett Society, told The Standard: “More men need to step up, speak out, and condemn the crimes of men like Russell Brand.
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men → tell → Brand
Of course, while it would be great to hear men condemn it now, it would have been far better if male friends and colleagues actually spoke out it while it was happening.
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it → hear → it
“Right now, there will be many, many men who know friends and colleagues who are demonstrating deeply troubling and misogynistic behaviours.
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who → know → behaviours
I hope some of those men might see the recent news and feel compelled to call it out.”
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some → hope → it
A Women’s Aid spokesperson added: ““Following recent headlines detailing serious allegations and revelations about men who have used their power, influence and celebrity to harass and abuse women, we are now left facing the difficult question – why wasn’t more done to stop them?
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we → add → them
“What these women had to go through has only become public knowledge because of their extraordinary bravery in coming forward, as well as the work of investigative journalists.”
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had → go → journalists
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