A two-decade-old television moment featuring David Walliams and Russell Brand is getting a second life online. In it the two comics suggest that playing up a gay image was a handy way to throw everyone off.

The footage is from the very first episode of "The Russell Brand Show" on Channel 4 in 2006. Walliams came on as a guest with his "Little Britain" partner Matt Lucas.

A kiss hello

When Brand greeted Walliams the pair teased the crowd by leaning toward each other as if to kiss. They then actually shared a brief peck.

Later in the chat Lucas described Walliams and Brand as "the two gayest straight blokes." Walliams fired back, "Isn't it a wonderful smokescreen?"

Brand was quick to play along. "Isn't it glorious? It works wonderfully well," he said.

Why it is back

The audience laughed back then. Now the clip is circulating widely on social media as both men are under intense scrutiny for how they behaved in the past.

On Tuesday Walliams was revealed as the unnamed British star who had fought to keep his name out of sexual misconduct claims. Several women say he pursued them when they were teenagers.

A judge on Monday handed Brand a prison term of ten and a half years. He was convicted of rape as well as sexual assault.

Walliams denies any wrongdoing. He insists he is not a sexual predator and has not broken the law. Brand plans to appeal his conviction.