A video from a 2006 broadcast of the “Russell Brand Show” is circulating again after recent developments involving two of its participants, comedian Russell Brand and children’s author David Walliams, both of whom have faced serious allegations of sexual misconduct.
In the clip, Brand is handed a black top hat during the appearance. Actor Matt Lucas, also a guest on the show, remarks, “Girl, you look gorge. You’re like the two gayest straight blokes there are, aren’t you?”
Walliams, now 55, responds, “Isn’t it a wonderful smokescreen?” Brand, now 51, replies, “Isn’t it, though? Isn’t it glorious? It works wonderfully well.”
A smokescreen generally refers to something said or done to cover up a scandal, conceal a hidden motive, or distract from a larger problem.
Brand’s sentencing
The clip has resurfaced in the wake of Brand’s sentencing on Monday to 10 years in prison on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
The Metropolitan Police opened an investigation into Brand in 2023 after receiving multiple allegations, following reporting by Channel 4’s “Dispatches” program and the Sunday Times. In 2025, Brand was formally charged with rape and sexual assault involving incidents between 1999 and 2005. He pleaded not guilty.
According to Kally Sahota, Senior Solicitor and Director of Sahota & Sahota Solicitors, Brand is currently serving the initial weeks of his sentence at HMP Wandsworth in London before being transferred to another facility based on what Sahota described as “security, safety and rehabilitation needs.”
Walliams named amid allegations
Walliams was separately identified as a celebrity who had sought to block publications from revealing his name in connection with accusations of sexual misconduct. Multiple women have accused him of using his celebrity status to groom them for sex, including two who say they were 15 years old when they met him.
Lawyers for Walliams told a UK judge that he had made two attempts to take his own life and was threatening a third attempt if his identity became public. After he did not pursue an appeal, his identity and the list of allegations against him were published by the Guardian.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Walliams denied being a “sexual predator,” writing: “Looking back, I realize that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with. That is something I regret.”
If you or someone you know is affected by the issues raised in this story, you can call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
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