At the peak of their careers, Jonathan Ross was frequently seen with David Walliams and Russell Brand at exclusive parties and restaurants around Mayfair.
Their association began through a run of shared television appearances before developing into friendships away from the cameras. Ross, however, repeatedly became embroiled in controversy over offensive jokes and sexually suggestive behaviour.
Walliams and Brand were also regular guests on The Jonathan Ross Show, where they discussed both their personal lives and work in open interviews.
Ross said last night that he was “horrified” by the allegations of sexual misconduct involving Walliams and by Brand’s rape conviction.
Brand was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison on Monday after being convicted at Southwark Crown Court of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Walliams, meanwhile, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and targeting several teenagers in an investigation by The Guardian and ITV.
He denies the allegations and has not been charged with any offence.
After footage resurfaced of Ross joking that 15-year-olds were “going home with David Walliams”, the presenter said he had once been “on friendly terms with both men” but was “genuinely unaware of their conduct” at the time.
The clip, recorded at the 2004 British Comedy Awards, shows Ross telling the audience: “The Comedy Awards is 15 years old – 15 years old! And like most 15-year-olds, it’s drunk, it’s unpredictable and it’s probably going home with David Walliams.”
Ross called the remark “tasteless”, while explaining that he had not written it himself.
Russell Brand, Noel Gallagher and Jonathan Ross attend The Hoping Foundation’s ‘Rock On’ benefit evening for Palestinian refugee children in 2013
Ross and Walliams appear together on The Jonathan Ross Show together in 2018
Ross (pictured) with Brand has said he is “horrified” by allegations of sexual misconduct
Walliams was also a regular attendee at Ross’s Halloween parties at his Hampstead home throughout the 2010s.
At the 2017 gathering, Walliams sparked controversy after dressing as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and was accused of racism.
He wore a black suit with red lapel pins representing previous leaders and appeared to have altered his skin tone.
In 2024, Ross and Walliams were photographed together after dining at Scott’s Restaurant in Mayfair, London.
The pair appeared relaxed as they posed together in smart clothing.
Walliams, one of Britain’s best-selling children’s authors and an OBE recipient, has also made frequent appearances on Ross’s television chat shows.
During the Jonathan Ross Christmas Special in December 2016, he revealed that his friend Kylie Minogue had rejected his invitation for a date.
He returned to The Jonathan Ross Show in 2024, discussing a meeting between his son and Tom Cruise, as well as a possible new project with Matt Lucas.
Ross’s friendship with Brand developed in the late 2000s. Brand was last week convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
The comedian appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in May 2006, and the pair later featured together on Channel 4’s Big Fat Quiz of the Year.
Seth Rogen, Jonathan Ross, David Walliams and Michael Buble appear on ‘The Jonathan Ross Show’ in 2011
Footage has resurfaced from the 2004 British Comedy Awards, where Ross joked about 15-year-olds “going home with David Walliams”
Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross attended high profile events together
In a clip lasting around a minute, host Jimmy Carr welcomes Rob Brydon, David Mitchell, Jonathan Ross, Fielding and Brand onto the programme, alongside Ms Allen, the only female guest.
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Ross then looks towards Brand and Fielding, who has not faced allegations of inappropriate behaviour, and tells Carr: “I’m a bit concerned because look where you’ve put us.
“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 c***smen of the business.”
He continues: “I’m going to insist as a sort of uncle figure in Lily’s life that she moves over there because obviously that’s the sexless zone,” while indicating Brydon and Mitchell.
In 2008, the careers of Ross and Brand were placed under intense pressure after they made a series of lewd remarks about Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs during their BBC Radio 2 programme.
The incident, later known as “Sachsgate”, involved the pair leaving offensive voicemails for Sachs about Brand’s relationship with his 23-year-old granddaughter, Georgina Baillie, after Sachs did not attend an interview on the show.
At one stage, Ross shouted: “He f***ed your granddaughter!”
Following widespread complaints and a £150,000 BBC fine, Brand left the station and moved to the United States, while Ross was suspended by the corporation for 12 weeks.
The two men appeared together on radio again the following year.
Ross said he wanted to stage a “big show” with Brand and joked that they would “rule the world one day”.
In 2013, Brand returned to Ross’s ITV1 chat show, marking their first television reunion since the “Sachsgate” controversy.
Russell Brand hugs Jonathan Ross as they appeared on his chat show together in 2018
In 2017, the best-selling children’s author caused controversy and was branded as racist for dressing as Kim Jong-un at one of Jonathan Ross’s Halloween parties
Ross later said the scandal had created an unexpected bond between them and described that friendship as one of the few genuinely positive outcomes of the episode.
“Russell and I went through an unusual experience together and even though we’re both embarrassed by what we did, that’s fair enough – but at the same time, the only genuinely nice thing that came out of it for me was the fact that we became very close,” he said.
Ross’s full statement last night said: “I am as horrified by the revelations about David Walliams and the crimes of Russell Brand as the rest of the nation.
“There was a time in my life when I was on friendly terms with both men, and during that period I was genuinely unaware of their conduct.
“My thoughts are with the many, many women who have bravely come forward.
“I recognise how deeply shocking it is to revisit footage of a joke delivered by me at the Comedy Awards in 2004, in which I make light of the notion of Walliams going home with a 15 year old.
“This joke was submitted to me by the Comedy Awards script writing team and I believed that the punchline was a reference to the fact he had publicly dated younger women, exaggerated for comic effect.
“It is also a tasteless joke that I would not dream of making today about anyone, but that is beside the point.
“Had I had any reason to suspect that it might be referring to actual events, I would not only have refused to use it, but I would not have felt comfortable continuing a personal or professional relationship with him.
“I also like to think that I would have acted upon that knowledge.”
In a statement to ITV News and The Guardian, Walliams said: “Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with. I realise I did not always take people’s feelings properly into account. That is something I regret.
“Whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did.
“I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law. I am devastated that some of the women I met ten to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me.”
Representatives for Ross have been approached for further comment.