David Walliams is reportedly suing Britain’s Got Talent bosses following his axe from the ITV programme.
The 52-year-old quit the show in November 2022 after leaked recordings were released which saw him bad mouth a number of contestants during audition stage episodes in 2020.
The former judge is now seeking significant damages following his exit, with The Sun claiming his lawyers argued that the recordings were part of private conversations that shouldn’t have been broadcast.
READ MORE: David Walliams’ TV comeback ‘confirmed’ as he takes over as host of iconic ITV show
He is reportedly suing production company Fremantle and allegedly lodged papers at London’s High Court on Thursday (September 21).
(Image: PA)
The Sun claims the papers appeared under his real name, David Edwards Williams and that he has hired legal powerhouse, Brandsmiths, who specialise in data protection breaches. The derogatory remarks were recorded during an audition show at the London Palladium and saw David call an elderly contestant a “c**t” three times while speaking to an unknown party at the judges table.
He also claimed another contestant would think the judge wanted to “f**k” her, muttering when she walked on stage: “She’s like the slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to f**k them, but you don’t”. He later reportedly added: “I know, she’s just like: ‘Oh, f**k off!’ I was saying, she thinks you want to f**k her, but you don’t.
(Image: ITV)
“It’s the last thing on your mind, but she’s like: ‘Yep, I bet you do!’ ‘No I don’t!’ I had a bit of a boner, but now it’s going, it’s now shrivelled up inside my body.” After the recordings were first published by The Guardian, Walliams publicly apologised for the comments.
He told the publication: “I would like to apologise to the people I made disrespectful comments about during breaks in filming for Britain’s Got Talent in 2020. These were private conversations and – like most conversations with friends – were never intended to be shared.
(Image: PA)
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Nevertheless, I am sorry.” Walliams is understood to be the only BGT judge to have been recorded making offensive remarks about contestants across three episodes worth of transcripts. The comedian, who is now a children’s author, first joined the panel in 2012 alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon, starring on the show for a decade before his exit.
Daily Star has contacted David Walliams’ representatives for comment.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
