Convicted rapist Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Monday following a trial where a jury found him guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four women between 2004 and 2009.
As Brand faces a prison term where he is expected to serve at least seven years behind bars, a 2006 clip from the debut episode of Channel 4’s “The Russell Brand Show” has resurfaced online, featuring Brand and comedian David Walliams joking about pretending to be gay as a “wonderful smokescreen.”
In the resurfaced footage from November 24, 2006, Walliams and his Little Britain co-star Matt Lucas appeared as guests on Brand’s talk show. After Brand put on an antique top hat, Lucas said that they looked like “the two gayest straight blokes there are.”
Me and Russell Brand on his stag night @rustyrockets pic.twitter.com/bA1u2rT0
“Isn’t it a wonderful smokescreen?” Walliams replied, according to The Independent.
“Isn’t it, though? Isn’t it glorious? It works wonderfully well,” Brand added, as noted by Page Six.
A good interview with me and David Walliams http://t.co/bSgz8x3q
The resurfaced broadcast arrived alongside a joint investigation published on November 10, 2026, by The Guardian and ITV News, which detailed multiple historical allegations of sexual misconduct, grooming, and workplace harassment against Walliams.
Several women alleged that Walliams used his fame and celebrity status to pursue them when they were teenagers, with two women stating they were 15 years old when they first met him.
Prior to publication, Walliams had sought a High Court injunction to block the allegations from being reported, but his legal bid was rejected on November 3, 2026, and he did not appeal the ruling.
In a statement issued on November 10, 2026, Walliams denied the accusations and any criminal wrongdoing.
During the Russell Brand trial, the court heard that he “acted gay” to disarm women and make them less likely to perceive him as a threat. Here's Russell Brand and David Walliams joking about acting gay as a “smokescreen”. pic.twitter.com/abseaU1jpD
“I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me,” Walliams said, as reported by The Tab.
“Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with. That is something I regret,” Walliams wrote in his statement, according to Yahoo Lifestyle Canada.
Following the publication of the allegations, the BBC announced it was reviewing material featuring Walliams and removing programmes including Little Britain from its platforms, while HarperCollins previously dropped him as an author after investigating claims of inappropriate behaviour involving female employees.
Both figures had shared a long history in British television and entertainment circles prior to these developments, having risen to prominence during the early 2000s when Walliams starred in the BBC sketch show Little Britain alongside Matt Lucas, while Brand hosted the Big Brother spin-off programme Big Mouth.
Jonathan Ross: “The comedy awards is 15 years old… and like most 15-year-olds, it's drunk, it's unpredictable, and it's probably going home with David Walliams.” Everyone knew. Just like they did with Russell Brand. pic.twitter.com/gA9UGXEk5q
Reflecting on earlier personal struggles during a 2006 episode of The Russell Brand Show, Brand discussed his past battle with heroin addiction, which spanned from 1999 until 2003, finally overcoming it by following a 12-step AA programme. Walliams acknowledged seeing his friend’s recovery firsthand after periods of separation during tours and production trips abroad.
Throughout the two decades following their initial rise to fame, both men maintained a high-profile presence across British media, red carpets, and awards ceremonies.
Moment Russell Brand and old friend David Walliams joke about pretending to be gay as a 'smokescreen' on Channel 4 comedy show pic.twitter.com/8scqTo3ckI
While Brand faced mounting scrutiny culminating in his trial and sentencing in late 2026, Walliams’ career encountered severe institutional fallout following the joint media investigation and prior internal publishing reviews by HarperCollins, alongside his departure from Britain’s Got Talent after serving as a judge on the ITV light entertainment format from 2012 until 2022.
More on Russell Brand
Related reading
- Penélope Cruz Raises Children in Madrid to Prioritize Their Privacy
- Coachella 2027 Lineup: SZA, Dua Lipa, and Tame Impala Headline in April
- LA Pizzeria Faces Issues From AI-generated Menu Photo Misrepresentations (world-today-journal.com)
- Rep. Robert Garcia Says Susie Wiles Faces Congressional Probe (archyworldys.com)
