Jonathan Ross ‘horrified’ by David Walliams and Russell Brand revelations

TV presenter says he was ‘genuinely unaware’ of pair’s conduct despite joking about Walliams going home with 15-year-old girl in 2004

• Read the full investigation: ‘It wasn’t long until he asked me if I’d ever had sex before’

• Explainer: the key legal issues surrounding the case

The TV presenter Jonathan Ross has said he is “as horrified by the revelations about David Walliams and the crimes of Russell Brand as the rest of the nation”, adding that he was “genuinely unaware of their conduct” despite making a joke about a 15-year-old “going home” with Walliams at the British Comedy Awards in 2004.

Walliams, one of Britain’s best-known television personalities and top-selling children’s authors, has been accused by several women of using his power and celebrity status to prey on young women and teenagers for sex.