David Walliams has apologised for making 'disrespectful' comments about Britain's Got Talent contestants after a recording emerged of the talent judge insulting them during filming.
Transcripts of leaked recordings obtained by The Guardian revealed that the 51-year-old comedian made a series of remarks about people auditioning for the ITV show while at the London Palladium in 2020. During a private conversation with an unknown person between takes, Walliams called one male contestant a "c***" and said of one female auditionee that she looked as if "she thinks you want to f*** her".
The comedian, who is famous for creating and starring in Little Britain alongside Matt Lucas, has been a judge on Britain's Got Talent since 2012. He is also known to younger audiences as a popular children's author and has sold 37 million books worldwide, having penned several bestsellers including Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy and The World's Worst Children.
READ MORE: I'm A Celebrity's Charlene White fires 'brutal' question at Matt Hancock as millions wait for answer
After a pensioner appeared to make a light-hearted jibe at Walliams while auditioning for the talent competition, the comedian called him a "c***" on three occasions according to the leaked transcript. He also made sexually explicit remarks about a female contestant as she walked off the BGT stage, saying: "She's like the slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to f*** them, but you don't.
"She thinks you want to f*** her, but you don't," he went on. "I know, she's just like: 'Oh, f**k off!' I was saying, she thinks you want to f**k 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 a b****, but now it’s going, it's now shrivelled up inside my body."
Walliams issued an apology after the derogatory comments emerged, saying in a statement: "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."
There is no suggestion that David's fellow judges including Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Simon Cowell, or hosts Ant and Dec, were aware of the comments made. A spokesperson for Britain's Got Talent production company Thames TV acknowledged that Walliams' comments were "inappropriate" despite being made during a private conversation, and added that and he has been reminded of "expectations as to future professional conduct."
A spokesperson for Simon Cowell and Syco Entertainment, who act as co-producers for the show, said: "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."
READ NEXT:
-
Olivia Attwood offers I'm A Celebrity 'clarification' over exit rumours in cryptic Instagram post
-
John Lewis Christmas advert features sweet foster dad learning to skateboard in moving story
-
Strictly's Tony Adams calls Katya 'overcritical' as pair address on-air 'row'
-
Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid shuts down heated interview with Just Stop Oil protester
