Jo Whiley recounts message from Russell Brand which makes her ‘shudder’

Jo Whiley said she “cried” when Russell Brand was sentenced this week, and recalled a message he wrote to her which makes her “shudder” in light of his convictions.

The disgraced comedian, 51, was jailed for 10 and a half years for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others and has been accused of abusing his celebrity status to prey on women.

The TV and radio presenter, 61, discussed the verdict on her Dig It podcast with fellow broadcaster Zoe Ball, and they agreed that the outcome of Brand’s trial felt “extraordinarily important” for women.

“I think it’s been extremely profound,” Whiley said.

The BBC Radio 2 host recounted sitting with her 18-year-old daughter Coco when the sentencing was announced, and said: “It just felt seismic.

“It felt extraordinarily important, and there seems to have since been this lament from women.”

She said she “cried” when it was announced Brand was facing more than a decade behind bars, and said: “It’s for every woman who’s ever been at the hands of somebody who’s abused them – whether it’s sexual or otherwise.

“We all have experienced, or know people have experienced, something like this.

“Yesterday just brought everything up, I think, for everyone. It just felt like this massive empathy amongst women and from men as well.”

Whiley recalled a note that Brand had written to her. She said: “I’ve got a show book – people sign my book when they come on the show.

“I’ve got a signature from Russell, and (…) he just refers to me as a ‘Milf’.

“I keep looking at the bookshelf, it’s burning a hole in my bookshelf at the moment.”

The acronym Milf stands for “mother I’d like to f***”.

Whiley continued: “I’m sitting in the living room, like, those words are there.

“I’m going to have to tear the page out and burn it – I really am, because it just makes me shudder.

“But that was what you expected when you met him.”

As they discussed Brand’s sentence, Ball, 55, agreed that it was “emotional” and spoke about the impact of his “harrowing” trial.

She said: “I think it’s been a real collective feeling of horror and upset.

“Then ultimately, I guess, relief that finally something big has happened that you hope is going to help women.”

The former BBC Radio 2 DJ continued: “The moment where he was convicted last week, in my workplace, everyone was in silence watching the news.

“It was so emotional.”

Brand began his career as a TV presenter and comedian and became a Hollywood star, appearing in films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Hop and the Despicable Me franchise.

During a two-decade career he cemented his status in the spotlight through his marriage to singer Katy Perry, and subsequent appearances on TV, radio, stage and podcasts.

He is expected to serve two thirds of his sentence before being released on licence, and will be on the sex offenders’ register for life.