Lorraine Kelly quit X – formerly known as Twitter – on Thursday, telling fans ‘it’s all gone a bit dark’.
The presenter, 63, announced she was signing off from the platform as she needed a break, a day after she recalled how Russell Brand called her a ‘slut’ during an ‘uncomfortable’ appearance on The Graham Norton Show back in 2007.
‘Morning. Having a Twitter break – it’s all gone a bit dark – find me on @lorrainekellysmith for mostly cute photos of my dog,’ Lorraine wrote.
Fans took to the comment section, telling the TV favourite they were sad she was going but could understand.
Followers wrote: ‘Don’t blame you but it’s a shame that you need to’ and ‘I have to say I agree with you Lorraine X’.
Goodbye! Lorraine Kelly quit X -formerly known as Twitter – on Thursday, telling fans ‘it’s all gone a bit dark’
Time out: ‘Morning. Having a Twitter break – it’s all gone a bit dark – find me on @lorrainekellysmith for mostly cute photos of my dog,’ Lorraine wrote
‘Totally agree,’ said another.
It comes hours after Lorraine recalled how comedian Russell called her ‘a slut’ during a TV chat show in 2007.
Referring to their joint appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Lorraine admitted ‘that’s uncomfortable to watch that now’.
On her Wednesday morning ITV show Lorraine was joined by ITV UK news editor Paul Brand and The Mirror editor Alison Phillips to discuss the latest headlines surrounding Brand.
The British comedian, 48, was accused of rape and sexual assault in a Sunday Times and Channel 4 investigation published on Saturday.
He has vehemently denied the allegations – but the BBC, Channel 4 and production firm Banijay have launched investigations into his behaviour, while the Met Police says it is investigating a complaint received at the weekend.
Lorraine then recalled her multiple TV appearances with Brand. She said: ‘I interviewed him a lot over that time when he was in the public eye.
‘I usually got the charming Russell, the flirty Russell but I have been doing this a long time and I would like to think there was a tiny bit of respect there, maybe. Although this happened.’
‘I don’t blame you!’: Fans took to the comment section, telling the TV favourite they were sad she was going but could understand
Speaking out: The presenter, 63, announced she was signing off from the platform as she needed a break, a day after she recalled how Russell Brand called her a ‘slut’ in 2007
Looking back: In the studio, Lorraine said of the 2007 clip: ‘That’s uncomfortable to watch that now it absolutely is. Obviously for the record I was not wearing suspenders at all’
Speaking out: Lorraine recalled her multiple TV appearances with Brand, explaining: ‘I have been doing this a long time and I would like to think there was a tiny bit of respect there’
Lorraine then aired a clip of her and Brand together on The Graham Norton show in 2007.
Russell touched Lorraine’s leg in the clip and exclaimed: ‘Oh my god, you’re wearing suspenders. I have been in other films but none of that matters now I know Lorraine Kelly is a slut.’
In the studio, Lorraine said: ‘That’s uncomfortable to watch that now it absolutely is. Obviously for the record I was not wearing suspenders at all.’
‘He was laughing, I was laughing. It’s difficult looking back on it, and now I probably would have said something, but it’s an entertainment show, that was his shtick.
‘That’s what he was not just doing but actively encouraged to do. It’s not that long ago, not really.’
‘I do wonder if I would have put up with that now. I do wonder if we are in a different place now and if it even would have been aired.’
Uncomfortable: In the studio, Lorraine recalled that ‘That’s uncomfortable to watch that now… he was laughing, I was laughing. It’s difficult looking back on it’
Accusations: Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by multiple women, including one who says she was 16 at the time
Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by multiple women, including one who says she was 16 at the time.
One woman has alleged Brand raped her in his Los Angeles home, while another accused him of grooming her as they were involved in an allegedly ’emotionally abusive and controlling relationship’ for three months when she was just 16 and still at school, and he was 31.
A third accuser claimed the comic sexually assaulted her while she worked with him in Los Angeles, and that he threatened to take legal action if she told anyone else about her allegation, and a fourth detailed the alleged sexual, physical and emotional abuse she was subjected to.
Brand posted a video on YouTube and Twitter refuting the allegations and insisted relationships at the time of his promiscuity’ were ‘consensual’.
Russell’s behaviour is alleged to have been common knowledge among female performers on the comedy circuit, who are said to warned each other about him and his attitude towards women is alleged to have been an open secret in radio and TV production, according to sources who briefed The Sunday Times.
Bosses at the BBC and Channel 4 are accused of turning a blind eye towards the entertainer’s behaviour while he worked for them as a presenter between 2006 and 2013.
The broadcasters have insisted they took all necessary steps over him, but executives could still be called before a Government select committee where MPs will grill them over what they knew.
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