Jo Brand's most controversial joke ever that sparked police investigation

17 May 2024 , 05:15

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Jo Brand's acid attack joke sparked shock and outrage at the time

She's known to toe the line with her brutal jokes, but one of Jo Brand's witty quips landed her in serious hot water just five years ago.

Not only was the joke axed from BBC repeats, but it sparked a furious row that even led to a police investigation as angry viewers called for her to be sacked. But what did she say that prompted such outrage?

In June 2019, Jo had been speaking to Victoria Coren Mitchell on Radio 4 panel show Heresy when she was asked if the nation are “absolutely united in feeling we are living through a terrible time” in terms of the divisions being stoked over Brexit.

However, the 66-year-old shocked listeners when she joked about fantasising about throwing acid over politicians she doesn’t like. "I would say that but that is because certain unpleasant characters are being thrown to the fore," she said. "And they are very very easy to hate. I am kind of thinking, why bother with a milkshake, when you could get some battery acid? That’s just me, sorry." She added: "I'm not going to do it, it's purely a fantasy. But i think milkshakes are pathetic."

Jo Brand later apologised for the joke

Her co-stars had laughed at the joke before host Victoria moved onto the next subject. However, outraged listeners had taken to X - then Twitter - to voice their rage which, subsequently, prompted then-MEP Nigel Farage to call for police to take action over Jo Brand. It had come soon after Farage had had a milkshake thrown over him while in public.

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A number of comedians had backed Jo, including Lee Hurst, who had said: "Jo Brand is a comedian. She has made a joke. You may not find it funny or you may find it funny. Comedy is subjective. If you criticise her because you like her target, but defend other jokes of a similar nature against targets you don't like you are a hypocrite."

The joke did spark a police investigation but - just days later - Scotland Yard dropped the probe after considering an allegation of incitement to violence. The force said at the time: "Police received an allegation of incitement to violence on 13 June, relating to comments made on a radio programme. The referral has been considered by the MPS and no further police action will be taken in relation to this allegation."

It came soon after a protestor threw milk over Nigel Farage (Getty Images)

Piers Morgan was, unsurprisingly, one of the stars to speak out against Jo, calling for her to be sacked and accused the BBC of double standards after Danny Baker was sacked over an incredibly offensive comment about Harry and Meghan's baby.

"Why did the BBC instantly sack Danny Baker for an offensive royal baby tweet but won’t sack Jo Brand for saying she’d like acid to be thrown at politicians?” Piers seethed.

Jo did apologise for her "crass' and ill-judged" joke about throwing car battery acid at politicians, but insisted it "wasn't a mistake". She later admitted she "felt absolutely awful" as photos of acid attack victims resurfaced.

The BBC went on to conduct their own investigation and ruled that her joke went "too far". The joke was subsequently axed from the programme, with a BBC spokesman confirming that the recording, which could be heard on the Sounds platform and any future broadcast would be an edited version, without her comments.

Despite this, the BBC stood firmly behind Brand and defended her adding: "Jo Brand is a much loved comedian and very much part of the Radio 4 family – she will continue to be so."

Rose Hill