Jonathan Ross says he is 'horrified' by David Walliams allegations as he opens up about 'deeply shocking' joke about Little Britain comedian 'going home with 15-year-olds'

Jonathan Ross has said he is 'horrified' by the allegations made against David Walliams - and addressed the 'deeply shocking' joke he made about the comedian 'going home with 15-year-olds'. 

Ross made the remark at the British Comedy Awards in 2004, when Little Britain – which Walliams created and starred in alongside Matt Lucas – was awarded Best TV Comedy.

'The comedy awards is 15 years old – 15 years old!' Ross told the audience.

'And like most 15-year-olds, it's drunk, it's unpredictable and it's probably going home with David Walliams.'

Walliams, who is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and preying on multiple teenagers, was seen throwing his head back in laughter at the joke on national TV.

After the clip resurfaced on Tuesday - hours after Walliams was named as the celebrity who sought an injunction to prevent publication of the claims against him - Ross issued a statement saying he was 'horrified' by the allegations. 

He also addressed the crimes of Russell Brand, who was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison at Southwark Crown Court on Monday for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. 

Ross 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.

Jonathan Ross made the joke at the British Comedy Awards in December 2004, when Little Britain – which David Walliams created and starred in – was awarded Best TV Comedy

David Walliams, who was on Tuesday unmasked as the celebrity who tried to suppress allegations of sexual misconduct, was filmed laughing at the remark

'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.'

Ross added: '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.'

Walliams is accused of 'abusing his status' on Little Britain and Britain's Got Talent (BGT) and engaging in 'inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities' with 'a large number' of young women and girls.

He denies any wrongdoing and told the High Court he would kill himself if his identity was revealed. It came 24 hours after Brand was jailed for rape.

On Tuesday afternoon, Downing Street said allegations of sexual misconduct made by multiple women against Walliams were 'deeply troubling' and the Government is 'concerned' about the use of injunctions. Labour has suspended him as a party member, it later emerged.

Walliams, pictured last month, is accused of abusing his status to target girls and young women. He denies the claims 

One accuser, named as Jade by ITV News and The Guardian, alleges she was sexually assaulted by Walliams when she was 15 after he contacted her online.

Jade claims they met in Soho before he drove her to his home in his Aston Martin. She alleges Walliams sexually assaulted her at Supernova Heights, the mansion once owned by Oasis star Noel Gallagher.

'He asked me to come over and gave me a hug. That's when he kissed me,' Jade alleged of Walliams, who was 36 at the time.

'He lifted my top up and sucked on my breast and then tried to put my hand down his trousers. That's when I pulled away and said, "No". He had an erection at the time,' she said.

'I wasn't ready for sex. I didn't want to do that, with him or with anyone. I didn't want to be touched in that way at all. I mean, I was only 15. It's a sexual assault. It's grooming. It's completely wrong in every way.'

She claimed she had already confided in him that she had previously been sexually abused by someone else as a child, to which he responded: 'Sorry to hear that.'

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.'