David Walliams, the beloved author and TV personality, is taking legal action against the producers of Britain’s Got Talent after he was removed from his judging role on the show in November of the previous year.
The 52-year-old star is seeking significant damages following his departure from the ITV talent show, which he had been a part of for a decade.
Walliams decided to step down after a transcript of comments he made about contestants during a break in filming was leaked to the public. The comments included derogatory language, with Walliams using offensive terms and making inappropriate remarks about contestants.
In the leaked transcript, he referred to one older contestant using a derogatory term three times and made a crude comment about another contestant’s intentions. These comments were captured on his microphone during auditions at the London Palladium in January 2020.
David Walliams issued an apology after the comments came to light at the end of last year. He argued that they were part of private conversations that were never intended for broadcast. However, just two weeks later, he resigned from the show.
Now, Walliams is entering a legal battle with Fremantle, the production company behind Britain’s Got Talent, over the damaging leak. This legal action focuses on a data protection breach related to the leaked transcript that ultimately led to the end of his 10-year stint as a BGT judge.
To support his case, David Walliams has enlisted the services of Brandsmiths, a legal firm specializing in data protection breaches.
This legal dispute has not only impacted Walliams’ career but also his relationship with co-star Simon Cowell. Although the lawsuit is against Fremantle and not Cowell personally, insiders suggest there is now “some distance” between the two stars.
Before his departure from the show, Walliams issued a statement expressing his remorse for the offensive comments. He acknowledged that they were private conversations never meant for public consumption.
In the leaked transcripts, David Walliams’ derogatory comments were the only instances of offensive remarks about contestants across three episodes. There is no indication that any other judge, including Simon Cowell, made offensive comments about contestants.
ITV, the broadcaster of Britain’s Got Talent, made it clear that they did not “condone” the language used and discussed the matter with the show’s producers.
Following his exit, David Walliams was replaced by former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli. During his tenure on the show, Walliams became a fan favorite, earning three Best Judge awards at the National TV Awards. His time on the show was marked by memorable moments, including stripping down to his underwear, making grand entrances, and participating in dance routines.
The Sun reached out to representatives for David Walliams, but Brandsmiths declined to provide a comment, as did Fremantle.