David Walliams Sues Britain’s Got Talent Production Company
In a surprising legal move, David Walliams, the renowned children’s author and TV personality, is taking legal action against the production company behind Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) after he was dropped as a judge. The incident occurred in November of the previous year, and Walliams is now seeking substantial damages in response.
David Walliams has filed a High Court case against the production company behind Brtain’s Got Talent. The Complaint is listed simply as dealing with data protection and comes 10 months after the comedian stood down as a judge.@NickDixonITV reports pic.twitter.com/HHCofX1Kds
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) September 27, 2023
Background
The catalyst for Walliams’ removal from the ITV show was a leaked transcript of comments he made about contestants during a break in filming. These derogatory remarks included him using offensive language towards one contestant and making inappropriate comments about another. The comments were picked up by Walliams’ microphone during auditions at the London Palladium in January 2020.
Apology and Resignation
Upon the public revelation of his comments at the end of the previous year, Walliams issued an apology, acknowledging the disrespectful nature of his remarks. He emphasized that these conversations were meant to be private and were never intended for public consumption. Despite his apology and an argument from his legal team that the comments were part of private conversations, Walliams resigned from the show two weeks later.
Legal Action
David Walliams is now pursuing legal action against Fremantle, the production company behind BGT. He alleges that they were responsible for a data protection breach regarding the leaked transcript, which ultimately resulted in the end of his 10-year tenure as a judge on the popular talent show. To bolster his case, Walliams has enlisted the services of Brandsmiths, a legal powerhouse specializing in data protection breaches.
Comments Context
It’s important to note that Walliams’ derogatory comments were the only instances of offensive remarks about contestants found in the leaked transcripts, covering three episodes. There is no suggestion that other judges, including Simon Cowell, made offensive remarks about contestants during the auditions.
Replacement and Legacy
Following his departure, David Walliams was replaced by former Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli on the BGT judging panel. Walliams had originally joined the show in 2012, alongside pop star Alesha Dixon, as replacements for Michael McIntyre and David Hasselhoff. His decade-long stint as a judge on the show was marked by memorable moments, including humorous antics like stripping to his underwear, descending from the ceiling as the Queen, and participating in group dances while wearing navy outfits. He also garnered recognition by winning three Best Judge awards at the National TV Awards.
David Walliams’ legal battle against BGT’s production company adds another chapter to the story of his career on the show, which saw both highs and lows.
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