Bill Cosby thanks wife Camille for 'love and support' amid rape claims

The actor broke his silence surrounding the allegations briefly to thank his wife

Actor and comedian Bill Cosby has thanked his wife for her 'love and support' (Getty )

Bill Cosby has praised his wife’s “love and strength” amid the increasing number of sexual assault allegations made against the star.

Dozens of women have come forward claiming that the 77-year-old actor molested them in the past.

Cosby has denied previous claims made against him, and has not spoken publicly about the new allegations.

On Friday he broke his silence to the press to talk about how his wife Camille Cosby was coping amid the allegations.

“Love and strength of womanhood,” he told the New York Post’s Page Six. “Let me say it again, love and the strength of womanhood. And, you could reverse it, the strength of womanhood and love.”

Cosby has been married to his wife Camille for 50 years after the two met while he was performing stand up in the early Sixties. They have five children and three grandchildren.

The actor has previously thanked Whoopi Goldberg and Jill Scott for their support following over the rape allegations.

Goldberg cast doubt on the alleged victims’ claims, saying she had a “lot of questions” and would “reserve judgement” about the dozens of women who have come forward in the past two months.

She also questioned why Barbara Bowman, who claimed in October that Cosby drugged and raped her when she was a teenager in 1985, had not gone to the authorities over the alleged incident.

Scott defended the comedian when a Twitter user posted a petition asking Temple university to end its relationship with Cosby.

“So they’ve proven the alleged allegations? I didn’t know. Will they also be giving him back the millions he’s donated,” she said.

Beverly Johnson is the latest woman to claim the actor drugged her and raped her.

The model and actress alleged the incident took place in the Eighties after the comedian invited her to audition for a role in The Cosby Show.

Cosby has never been arrested or charged with any offence arising from the allegations. His lawyer has described the allegations as “decades old” and “discredited”.

Read more: Bill Cosby thanks Whoopi Goldberg and Jill Scott for support over rape allegations