David Walliams is suing the production company behind Britain's Got Talent several months after resigning from the show. The comedian and children's book author stepped down as a judge on the show after a transcript was leaked in which he made disparaging remarks about contestants on the show during a recording at the London Palladium back in 2020. So why is he suing the production company? Here's what we know…
Why is David Walliams suing the production company behind Britain's Got Talent?
Court papers were released from 21 September confirming that David is in the process of suing the production company for the data protection breach over the transcript that led him to resign from the show.
What did David Walliams say on BGT?
David made remarks during a recorded audition back at 2020, which where he called one contestant a c*** three times, before making remarks about a female contestant, saying: "She's like the slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to [expletive] them, but you don't. She thinks you want to [expletive] her, but you don't. I know, she's just like: 'Oh, [expletive] off!' I was saying, she thinks you want to [expletive] her, but you don't. 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 an [expletive], but now it's going, it's now shrivelled up inside my body."
LA exes: 5 Hollywood couples who divorced
© Jason LaVeris1. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Known by the legendary portmanteau 'Brangelina', the uber A-listers wed in a French chateau in 2014 some nine years after first becoming entwined on the set of 2005 blockbuster Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Things went south soon after with allegations of abuse surfacing in 2016, the same year Angelina filed for divorce. After seven years of legal wrangling light appeared at the tunnel's end, with the MailOnline reporting in July 2023 that the pair had agreed to a mediation which could resolve their dispute.
2. Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson
Ryan and Scarlett married in 2008 in a secretive ceremony on Vancouver Island. Both actors' stars were firmly in the ascendancy but professional success wasn't conducive to conjugal happiness, and their union was annulled just over two years later with Scarlett subsequently revealing the couple hardly saw each other.
3. Russell Brand and Katy Perry
The polysyllabic and polyamorous British actor/comedian/presenter met popstar Katy in 2009 during rehearsals for the MTV Video Music Awards. The following year the pair married in a traditional Hindu ceremony in India and all seemed set fair. But with Katy away on her California Dreams tour for most 2011, the couple supposedly determined they had different priorities and Russell filed for divorce - via text message - at the end of that year.
4. Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore
The couple divorced in 2013 after it emerged Ashton had been unfaithful on the weekend of their sixth anniversary. In 2015 Ashton remarried, this time to his That '70s Show costar Mila Kunis who was five years his junior - a notable change in dynamic from his relationship with Demi who was 15 years his senior.
5. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
The archetypal whirlwind romance, Tom and Katie got engaged after just seven weeks of dating in 2005. The pair didn't muck about and the following year they both welcomed daughter Suri and got married in a Scientologist ceremony in Italy. The marriage lasted for five and half years before Katie filed for divorce.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWhat was said about David Walliams' exit at the time?
At the time of the release, David released a statement that read: "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. Nevertheless, I am sorry."
© Photo: RexITV also released a statement that read: "We do not condone the language outlined in these allegations, and we have spoken to the producers of Britain's Got Talent. Duty of care towards all participants on any of our programmes is always of paramount importance and we have protocols and guidelines in place for all our production partners."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Simon Cowell denied that David's fellow judge had heard the comments, saying: "We were unaware of the alleged conversation until contacted by the Guardian, and whilst it is not suggested Simon heard the alleged remarks, we can confirm he did not. Britain's Got Talent is a family show and we do not condone the use of any such language."
© Shirlaine Forrest
