Lorraine Kelly has returned to X, formerly known as Twitter, days after announcing she was taking a break from the app over claims she made against Russell Brand.
Last week, the 63-year-old recalled an unsettling moment when Brand called her a “sl*t” while appearing on BBC One’s The Graham Norton Show 16 years ago.
Showing a clip of it on ITV daytime show Lorraine last Wednesday (September 20), the Scottish star admitted “that’s uncomfortable to watch that now.”
After discussing her experience, Kelly took to the micro-blogging site and told fans she would be stepping away from X, stating that “it’s all gone a bit dark” following her comments.
She wrote: “Morning. Having a Twitter break - it’s all gone a bit dark - find me on instagram @lorrainekellysmith for mostly cute photos of my dog.”
After sharing her social media update, fans told the Scottish presenter they were sad she was pausing her activity but could understand.
Four days on, the broadcaster has returned to the platform and announced her return by resharing a post celebrating the natural beauty of Orkney.
Quickly following that, she then retweeted a Morecambe and Wise skit featuring Sir Tom Jones, making a point to write that social media should be used for more content like it.
She wrote alongside the clip: “So this is what twitter should be for - fabulous !!”
So this is what twitter should be for - fabulous !! https://t.co/YGj56RQH4T
— Lorraine (@reallorraine) September 25, 2023
Brand was the subject of a joint investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches, which aired earlier this month and saw separate allegations of sexual assault and rape from four women between 2006 and 2013.
He has vehemently denied the allegations and said all of his relationships have been “consensual”.
Reflecting on her multiple TV interactions with him, Kelly 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.”
Kelly then showed a clip where Brand can be seen touching her leg and exclaiming: “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 sl*t.”
Back in the studio, Kelly 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.”
She continued: “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.”
