Katie Waissel has come out against David Walliams after audio recordings of the BGT judge calling an elderly contestant a “c***” and using inappropriate off-camera language towards another female contestant. The Guardian published voice notes of a 2020 recording of the program on 10 November 2022. Walliams can be heard on tape three times calling the senior a “c***” after allegedly joking about the BGT- judge. He also made a comment about another female contestant:
“She believes you’re going to fuck her, but you don’t.”
As the story spread, the former X-Factor judge tweeted that she plans to raise the words of the BGT judge at her Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee hearing on Nov. 14, 2022. She also demanded that David Walliams be suspended and that Talkback Thames and Syco, the production company behind Britain’s Got Talent, immediately investigate the breach of conduct.
Katie Waissel calls for David Walliams to be suspended over BGT audio controversy https://t.co/3OkIi8Q6dM
— Simon Cowell News (@SimonPopCowell) November 14, 2022
She told MailOnline she would not stop campaigning until the law is reviewed, adding:
“As a mother who has experienced sexual assault and harassment in the entertainment industry, I cannot and will not rest until the law is revised to reflect proper shielding and protection for victims who are sadly camouflaged by showbiz.”
The controversy is compounded by David Walliams’ dubious skits.
Katie Waissel, who finished seventh on the seventh season of The X-Factor in 2020, told MailOnline she is determined to “put a complete and final end to the ongoing abuse and lack of concern for vulnerable and ignorant contestants or competitors. ” The 36-year-old is an outspoken advocate for better working conditions and for reality TV competitors. She founded the OWHL Foundation, which stands for “Monitoring the well-being, human rights and freedom for all in the creative sector”, and is currently studying law.
Certain problematic David Walliams sketches surfaced as he continued to face social media backlash, including one in which he was seen pulling down the pants of male audience members on stage. The former X-Factor judge shared the video and expressed her grief and heartbreak for the victims, many of whom were young people.
David Walliams plays Des Kay, a children’s entertainer who challenges the men in the crowd to a game of “hide the sausage.” Members of the audience are then kissed on the lips before their pants are pulled down, causing embarrassment on stage and rushing to hide. The film was part of a BBC documentary that followed David Walliams and his former co-star Matt Lucas as they tour Australia with their Little Britain act.
When asked about the documentary skit, the comic said:
“It didn’t start with that; it evolved when I got thirsty for laughter.
David Walliams’ apology to The Guardian was judged inadequate.
After the offensive comments emerged, David Walliams released a statement to The Guardian, saying he would like to apologize to those he made nasty comments about during breaks in the 2020 filming of Britain’s Got Talent. He continued:
“These were private chats that, like most with friends, were never meant to be shared. Nevertheless, I apologize.”
The apologies did nothing to quell the outrage as netizens viewed it as fake and lame. A spokeswoman for Simon Cowell and Syco Entertainment said they were unaware of the alleged dialogue until The Guardian contacted them, adding:
“Britain’s Got Talent is a family program and the use of such words will not be tolerated.”
ITV, the show’s broadcast network, issued the following statement:
“We do not condone the language described in these complaints and we have spoken to the producers of Britain’s Got Talent.”
David Walliams joined the show’s judging panel in 2012. Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden are among the other panellists.
