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A controversy has erupted involving Belfast comedian Vittorio Angelone after he made a remark about rape that mentioned Rebecca Goodwin, a content creator who had publicly revealed she was a victim of sexual assault. The comment was made during a 2025 episode of the “Have a Word” podcast, which featured a “roast” format where comedians traded insults. Angelone’s remark included the question, directed at fellow comedian Freddy Quinne, “if you’re here, who’s raping Rebecca Goodwin?” This episode was recorded months before, but only recently surfaced on social media after being behind a paywall.
Rebecca Goodwin, who had reported a rape to the police in July 2025 and shared her experience publicly, expressed her distress at having her name used in such a manner. She stated that it “will forever live with me that it was allowed for my name to be used as the punchline of a malicious ‘joke’ about such a serious issue.” Goodwin explained that she only became aware of the clips after they were posted online recently, adding that she was grateful not to have seen them sooner given her mental state in the immediate aftermath of the assault. According to Goodwin, Angelone only removed the videos from his social media accounts more than a year after the joke was recorded, though the offensive content remains in the original paywalled podcast episode.
Angelone has since issued a public apology on social media, acknowledging he allowed his “need for validation” to override his ethics, describing his behavior as “completely pathetic” and expressing shame. He also reached out to Goodwin personally to apologize. Meanwhile, Goodwin has noted that several other comedians involved, including Freddy Quinne, have apologized, but she rejected these apologies because they came too late and no one had supported her at the time the joke was made. The podcast producers have been contacted for comment, and a BBC spokesperson confirmed awareness of the situation, stating they are “actively considering” the concerns due to the sensitive nature of the issue. Angelone is also set to appear in a new BBC sitcom titled *Rewarding*, scheduled to air this autumn.
The remarks have drawn strong criticism from organizations such as Rape Crisis Northern Ireland and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. Rape Crisis Northern Ireland condemned Angelone’s comments for perpetuating a culture where sexual violence is trivialized, emphasizing that when rape is treated as humor, it undermines the experiences of survivors and makes it harder for them to speak out. They noted the responsibility of individuals with public platforms to understand the consequences of their words. Rachel Morrogh, Chief Executive of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, highlighted that treating rape as a joke can be deeply painful for survivors and sustains harmful attitudes that can prevent people from seeking support. She stressed the importance of considering the audience and the damage caused by such insensitive material
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