A resurfaced clip has shed light on late British comedian Sean Lock’s long-standing disdain for Russell Brand, as the latter faces serious allegations of sexual misconduct.
Brand, 49, is due to appear in court on Friday, 2 May, charged with rape and sexual assault dating from 1999 to 2005 in Bournemouth and the Westminster area of London. The Get Him to the Greek star has denied any wrongdoing, insisting all his past relationships were consensual.
Following the emergence of the allegations, a 2014 episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats featuring Lock began circulating online. In the clip, Lock jokes about his aversion to Brand, citing concerns as a father.
“Probably the reason I hate him so much is because I'm a dad,” he said. “And I've got this fear that one day my daughters will bring something like that home... and he’ll come in and go, ‘Oh, oh, such pleasure to be in your charming abode.’”
Sean also laid into Brand for his approach to voting in the UK, as he was urging people not to vote at the time. “The main problem now is that people get the politicians they deserve, because they don’t take any interest in politics,” Lock said.
“And [Brand] saying to people who are disaffected already, and aren’t engaged with the political process, ‘Don’t vote’, is the most moronic, self-serving, pathetic bit of attention-seeking w***.”
Lock also mocked Brand’s then-recent book Revolution, quipping: “If his book is called Revolution, then he shouldn’t be out there trying to sell it—he should be encouraging people to steal it.”
The clip went viral on social media this week. One user called it “the greatest character assassination I've ever seen,” while others praised Lock’s comic brilliance and candid commentary.
Lock, who passed away from cancer in 2021 at age 58, had previously criticised Brand in a 2008 interview with The Scotsman, calling him a bad influence on young comedians.
“Russell is a funny bloke and a talented man,” Lock said, “but I think he sets a bad example. To succeed, you shouldn't have to disembowel yourself for public consumption.”
On Thursday, 1st May, it was revealed in court documents that Russell Brand is facing allegations of sexually assaulting a woman by touching her breasts and indecently assaulting another by grabbing her arm and dragging her towards a male toilet. He is accused of raping a woman in 1999 and allegedly groped the breasts of another woman and forced her to perform oral sex in 2004.
A fourth alleged victim says Brand sexually assaulted her by touching in 2005. The comic is due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Friday 2nd May.