Jimmy Carr has faced criticism after sharing a joke about Russell Brand’s prison sentence while promoting tickets for his upcoming comedy tour, Killing Jokes.
The 54-year-old comedian posted a 30-second clip from one of his previous performances on X, approximately an hour after Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for rape and sexual assault.
The post prompted a wave of negative reactions from social media users, with some questioning Carr’s decision to use the high-profile criminal case to advertise his tour.
Carr’s Russell Brand Joke Sparks Backlash
The clip showed Carr responding to a heckler who asked what he thought about Brand.
The comedian replied: “Well… this is interesting.
It is crazy to think Russell Brand is going to jail for something he did not do – get consent.”
He continued: “I think Russell Brand’s views on sex and consent are going to radically change in the next week.”
However, the joke attracted criticism after Carr shared it alongside promotional material for his forthcoming tour.
One social media user described the remark as “beyond despicable”, while another criticised the comedian for using Brand’s conviction to sell tickets.
“Trying to sell tickets on the back of a rapist being sent down is a scum move,” one person wrote.
Others accused Carr of hypocrisy, pointing to his previous appearances alongside Brand on television programmes and comedy line-ups.
“It’s a pity you weren’t so forthcoming when you were repeatedly appearing on TV shows and comedy line-ups with him,” another critic commented.
The Daily Mail said it had contacted Carr’s representatives for comment.
Russell Brand Sentenced to Ten Years and Six Months
The controversy surrounding Carr’s joke followed Brand’s conviction for rape and three counts of sexual assault.
The 51-year-old was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after being found guilty following a four-week trial.
The jury deliberated for eight and a half hours before reaching its verdicts.
Brand was convicted of raping a 21-year-old woman in 2009 after meeting her at one of his performances at the Hammersmith Apollo.
The woman had been invited to his £2.3million Hampstead mansion several days after the show.
During the trial, she described how Brand allegedly forced her to undress, shower and brush her teeth before they went to bed.
She told the court that he pushed her face down into a pillow, removed his condom during the rape and left her struggling to breathe.
The woman also said she was left bleeding and that Brand subsequently instructed her to “clean up the mess you’ve made”.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones described Brand as a sexual predator and told the court that the women involved had been treated as disposable commodities.
Brand was also convicted of sexually assaulting an MTV employee at a Soho party, although he was cleared of orally raping her in a toilet afterwards.
He was further found guilty of sexually assaulting a Capital Radio employee in a corridor in 2005 and a Channel 4 employee during a forced massage in 2009.
He was acquitted of two other rape charges and one charge of attempted indecent assault.
Former Prisoner Warns Brand About Conditions at Wandsworth
Following his sentencing, an ex-prisoner warned that Brand could face serious difficulties if he remained at HMP Wandsworth in south-west London.
The former inmate, who was released last year, described the comedian as a “marked man” and said he could be in considerable danger at the prison.
“He won’t be there permanently but needs to survive until he’s got his permanent move,” the former prisoner told The Sun.
“Wandsworth is violent, corrupt, dirty and noisy.
He will be so far out of his comfort zone.”
He added that Brand would need to secure a transfer quickly if he was to remain safe.
Police Investigating Further Allegations Against Brand
Brand’s conviction has also been followed by renewed investigations into additional allegations of sexual abuse.
Police have received multiple reports since the verdict, with detectives submitting evidence files in the hope of bringing further charges.
The comedian is accused of raping two additional women, including a schoolgirl who was allegedly 16 when she became involved with him.
Prosecution documents disclosed during the trial referred to possible outstanding charges relating to the alleged abuse of the teenager.
The woman, identified as Alice in a 2023 Channel 4 Dispatches investigation, claimed that a BBC vehicle transported her from school to Brand’s home, where she was subsequently abused.
She alleged that their relationship lasted three months and that Brand called her “my little dolly”.
She also claimed she had to punch him to stop one alleged attack.
The Crown Prosecution Service is considering further charges, while at least two other women who previously made allegations against Brand did not have their cases taken forward before the trial.
Brand is also facing civil claims in Britain and the United States.
One woman has filed a High Court claim alleging that he sexually assaulted her at his Los Angeles mansion in 2008.
Metropolitan Police Chief Expects More Women to Come Forward
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he would not be surprised if additional alleged victims came forward following Brand’s conviction.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he confirmed that officers were investigating two further cases.
He said the conviction could encourage other women to report their experiences because they could see that it was possible to be believed.
Rowley also criticised some of the commentary surrounding Brand’s trial, saying certain reports had come close to victim-blaming.
Speaking to Times Radio, he highlighted the wider issue of people in positions of influence exploiting individuals with less power.
He said the case demonstrated that authorities would support victims and pursue those responsible for sexual offences, regardless of their public standing.
Katherine Ryan Describes Mixed Emotions Following Conviction
Comedian Katherine Ryan has spoken about her reaction to Brand’s conviction, describing her feelings as a combination of grief and relief.
Ryan, who previously spoke about an alleged predator in the entertainment industry during an interview with Louis Theroux, discussed the verdict on her podcast, Telling Everybody Everything.
She said the outcome had left her feeling emotional and unsettled, while praising the women who came forward despite Brand’s fame, wealth and supporters.
Ryan said: “There has been some justice done today.
There’s a level of relief, but there’s grief alongside relief.”
She added that the women who had suffered abuse would continue to carry the consequences of their experiences, regardless of the outcome of the trial.
The comedian also said several women had been speaking privately following the verdict and were experiencing a complicated mixture of emotions.
Ryan previously claimed that she had confronted a male comedian whom she considered a predator during her television career.
Although her comments prompted speculation that she was referring to Brand and their possible involvement in the 2018 series Roast Battle, she has not confirmed his identity or named the programme in question.
Ryan Criticises Brand’s Barrister After Courtroom Confrontation
Ryan also condemned an exchange between Brand’s barrister, Ian Winter KC, and Sunday Times journalist Rosamund Urwin outside the courtroom.
Urwin’s investigation into Brand had helped bring several allegations into the public domain.
Following the verdict, Winter confronted the journalist, telling her: “I hope you are pleased with yourself.”
Urwin replied that she was pleased justice had been done.
Winter responded: “Well, it wasn’t. You f***** it.”
He subsequently added: “Congratulations.”
Reacting to the confrontation, Ryan described the barrister’s behaviour as unprofessional, inappropriate and aggressive.
During the trial, Winter had argued that media reporting of the allegations against Brand had prejudiced the case and made it impossible for his client to receive a fair hearing.
However, trial judge Mr Justice Bennathan rejected Brand’s attempt to prevent the proceedings from going ahead because of negative media coverage.
Brand’s conviction and sentencing have continued to generate reactions across the entertainment industry, while police investigations into further allegations remain ongoing.
