The key facts
- Vittorio Angelone joked about raping Rebecca Goodwin in an episode of the Have a Word podcast in 2025
- Goodwin said she reported the rape to police in July 2025 and only learned of the joke recently through clips on social media
- Angelone apologised publicly and personally; Rape Crisis Northern Ireland and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre criticised the remark
Criticism over podcast remark
Belfast comedian Vittorio Angelone has faced criticism for a 'joke' about raping British OnlyFans content creator Rebecca Goodwin, who has previously spoken publicly about being a victim of sexual assault. The remark was made in 2025 in a 'roast' episode of the Have a Word podcast, in which comedians took turns insulting one another in front of an audience. According to the BBC, Angelone asked fellow comedian Freddie Quinne: 'If you're here, then who's raping Rebecca Goodwin?'. Goodwin did not take part in the episode.
Goodwin's reaction
Goodwin said the episode was recorded in September–October 2025 and remained behind a paywall for a year before being posted on social media. She said she reported the rape to police in July 2025 and only learned of the joke when clips appeared on social media in recent days. 'I'm grateful I didn't see it earlier, because it would have been just a few weeks after [the assault], and I was in a very different mental state than I am now,' she said. According to her, Angelone deleted the joke from his social media more than a year after it had been 'edited, clipped, captioned and posted with her full name', but the comments have not been cut from the paid episode. Goodwin said: 'We are facing a global crisis of violence against women and girls, and we are begging for our safety and experiences to be taken seriously.' She added that 'what will stay with her forever is that her name was allowed to be used as the punchline of a malicious joke about such a serious issue'.
Apology and reaction from other participants
Angelone apologised on social media and, according to him, contacted Goodwin personally. In a statement on Instagram he wrote that he had allowed 'the need for validation to outweigh my own standards and morals', adding: 'It's utterly pathetic, and I'm ashamed to recognise that about myself.' Goodwin said Freddie Quinne and a number of other comedians who took part in the episode also apologised, but she did not accept their apologies because they came 'a year after the joke, and at the time no one in the room stood up for me — until I posted on social media'. Quinne was approached for comment. The podcast creators and BBC Northern Ireland (where Angelone will soon appear in his first major acting role in the sitcom Rewarding, airing this autumn) also received requests for comment.
Crisis centres' position
Rape Crisis Northern Ireland said it was 'deeply disappointed' by Angelone's comments, which 'contribute to a culture in which rape and sexual violence can be trivialised'. The organisation stressed: 'When rape becomes a punchline and sexual violence entertainment, it becomes easier to ignore its consequences and harder for survivors to speak about it,' adding that holders of a public platform bear responsibility for the language they use. Dublin Rape Crisis Centre chief executive Rachel Morrogh noted that for survivors, hearing about rape as a joke 'can be deeply painful' and 'reinforces attitudes that discourage people from seeking help'.
Image source, Rebecca Need-Menear Vittorio Angelone has faced criticism for his remarks
Image source, Rebecca Goodwin Rebecca Goodwin
