Judge David Walliams is suing the producers of Britain’s Got Talent, which is causing a stir in the British entertainment industry. The comedian was previously removed from the judging panel of the hit show due to his offensive comments towards contestants.
Suing the manufacturer for violating privacy
David Walliams leaves Britain’s Got Talent judging panel after 10 years due to malicious comments directed at contestants
David Walliams is a familiar face to the British public as a famous comedian, author, and television star. From 2012 to 2022, this artist took on the role of judge on the talent search show Britain’s Got Talent. In November 2022, it was reported that he made offensive and vulgar comments towards two contestants during a recording session at the London Palladium in January 2020. Immediately after that, the Little Britain star apologized and emphasized that these were private conversations like any other joking conversations with friends and had no malicious intent. This noise forced Walliams to leave the judge’s seat on Britain’s Got Talent this year and his position was replaced by Bruno Tonioli.
According to The Sun on October 9, David Walliams is suing the unit behind Britain’s Got Talent. The 52-year-old comedian accused Fremantle Media producers of recording, copying and storing his private conversations during filming for the past 10 years. The artist is suing for compensation to compensate for lost income from 2022, to compensate for losses for at least the next two years, mental damage from losing control of personal information, legal costs… This figure is estimated to be up to 10 million pounds. The famous star also asked the producer to destroy all recordings and related recordings. The British news site assessed that this lawsuit will shock the showbiz world and reveal the secret behind one of the most popular programs in this country.
David Walliams sits in the “hot seat” of Britain’s Got Talent with Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell (from left)
Specifically, David Walliams accused Fremantle Media of collecting private, sensitive details of conversations during his time as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, including personal information that had nothing to do with the production of the show. The veteran artist also revealed that the three names sitting in the “hot seat” with him – Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon – were also monitored by production staff in a similar way.
The Sun has revealed that, in a legal document, David Walliams’ lawyer stated: “At the time, he had no idea that his microphone was turned on and was secretly recording throughout the entire filming day, including during breaks, over the course of his tenure as a judge on the show.” The actor claimed that this even occurred while he was using the bathroom. A copy of the recordings was also provided to Simon Cowell’s co-producing company, Syco, upon request. These recordings reportedly amount to 1,700 hours of audio collected over 10 years, along with visual footage spanning 191 days of filming.
According to Walliams’ claims, the tapes contain a significant amount of private information, including personal conversations he had with fellow judge Alesha Dixon about his marriage, divorce, financial matters, relationships, sexual life, as well as his physical and mental health. “He was extremely distressed to learn that his personal information, including highly sensitive private matters, had been recorded without his knowledge or consent. These recordings were copied, internally shared among the defendant’s (Fremantle) employees, and appear to have been stored indefinitely,” his lawyer stated.
David Walliams (left) says he was unaware of the extent of scrutiny on the show until his disrespectful comments about two contestants were leaked last year
“The plaintiff is an experienced television professional. He understands when, on the day of the show, footage, audio and video are recorded for potential inclusion in the show and when they are not. Because he believes he is not being recorded at other times, the plaintiff will talk and joke recklessly with the other judges,” the veteran’s lawyer said.
The judge also explained that all four judges on the show often joked with vulgar or sexual language. They did this to relieve stress and fatigue during long filming days and did not think that their words would be made public because they were essentially private conversations between adult friends. David Walliams’ legal representative stated that he had only revealed private matters to colleagues, had no need to make them public, and that being recorded was an invasion of his privacy.
Suffering the consequences after the noise
The relationship between David Walliams and Simon Cowell is no longer as good as it used to be.
David Walliams says the fallout from the leak has damaged his reputation and career as a comedian, television personality and children’s author. The 52-year-old revealed that after the scandal, he was no longer in demand, with his earnings plummeting from £3.7 million in 2022 to £101,800 in the first five months of 2023. The Partners in Crime star said that during that time, he had important appointments cancelled and only received one new job offer, causing “catastrophic consequences for his reputation and career”.
Walliams’ side stressed that Fremantle’s behavior had made it impossible for the male artist to work normally and lost his inherent sense of humor. “He felt vulnerable when he entered the studio because he feared that what he said and did in that setting could be recorded and leaked without his consent,” the veteran star’s lawyer said. Walliams is said to have become extremely saddened by the loss of an important part of his personal and professional identity. A report also cited the opinion of a doctor who treated David Walliams for many years. Accordingly, the British comedian’s depression relapsed because of this noise. The Capturing Mary star also had serious problems with sleep, was plagued by uncontrollable negative thoughts, including suicidal thoughts.
Walliams revealed that she was unable to function normally, lost her sense of humour because she feared anything she said or did could be used against her and had suicidal thoughts.
In response to David Walliams’ lawsuit, Fremantle stated: “We have had a long and productive relationship with David, so we are surprised and saddened by this legal action. For our part, we remain willing and open to dialogue in order to resolve this matter amicably. However, in the meantime, we will also review the various allegations and are prepared to defend ourselves vigorously if necessary.”
On October 8, The Sun also reached out to Syco for an official comment, but a source there insisted that no recordings had been requested.
The reactions of the remaining three judges have also sparked public curiosity. Simon Cowell has reportedly unfollowed David Walliams on Instagram. A source close to the music mogul told The Sun that many of the claims in Walliams’ legal documents are completely false, particularly the allegation of secret recordings during filming. “It was made clear in 2018 that conversations between judges at the panel would be recorded for potential use,” the source stated.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Got Talent judges Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon were reportedly shocked to learn that their conversations during filming had been recorded and stored over the years. “They are very close to David and have always supported him,” a source close to the two female judges shared.
