Alan Carr is set to replace David Walliams on the new series of Britain’s Got Talent, reports have claimed.
In November, Walliams apologised after he was recorded making sexually explicit comments about a BGT contestant during the 2020 auditions process.
According to a transcript obtained by The Guardian, the Little Britain creator allegedly compared one female auditionee to “the slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to f*** them, but you don’t”.
He also reportedly called a pensioner a “c***” three times after he lightly poked fun at Walliams on stage.
Walliams apologised at the time, telling The Independent: “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.”
Production company Thames TV said the comments were “inappropriate” and later responded to reports that Walliams was leaving his spot on the judging panel, saying that things were “still very much up in the air”.
On Tuesday (10 January), The Daily Mail reported that Carr will replace Walliams as the fourth member of the BGT judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden.
A source told the publication: “Alan is hilarious but also kind. He tells a mean joke but he is also soft in the middle.
“The bosses are already excited about how wonderful he will be with the contestants. He will complement the panel so well too, he is really close friends with Amanda and he has known Simon and Alesha for years too. Everyone involved in the show is so excited and they can’t wait to get started.”
The Independent has contacted ITV for comment.
The Chatty Man host is a close friend of Holden’s, with the pair currently starring in their own BBC series titled Amanda and Alan’s Italian Job.
Auditions for the 16th series of Britain’s Got Talent are due to begin later this month.
