David Walliams took a jab at Simon Cowell, a year after his exit from Britain’s Got Talent.
The comedian, 53, was axed from his judging role on the ITV show after leaked audio surfaced of him making disparaging remarks about contestants.
Though he later apologised, the Little Britain star pursued legal action against production company FremantleMedia, seeking “significant damages.”
Walliams ultimately settled, reportedly receiving roughly £5 million, but has since stayed quiet about the incident.
Appearing on This Morning on Tuesday to promote his new children’s book, Walliams seized the chance to take a playful swipe at his former colleague Cowell.
During a Q&A with young fans, a boy named Jasper asked if any characters in his books were based on real people.
Walliams quipped: “That is a good question. Whenever I’m trying to think of an evil villain I always think ‘what would Simon Cowell do?’” causing hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley to laugh.
He also shared that a former Britain’s Got Talent contestant, Cockroach Ken, had inspired a character in one of his earlier books, and advised young viewers to “keep their eyes and ears open as you never know when you might have a good idea for a story”.
In May, Walliams, who was a judge on the series alongside Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon for ten years before he resigned in 2022, dodged a question about his Britain's Got Talent exit.
Kelly asked: “Britain's Got Talent is on, how are you feeling about that? Do you watch, do you not watch? Are you a bit sorry about how it all finished? What’s the thing?”
Walliams replied: "Well I have been travelling a lot so I have not had a chance to see it. I’m really enjoying spending all the time being creative because although we’ve got the books, there is also like, working on an animation series of Gangsta Granny, there’s an animated film of Slime… there is so much going on.
"Being creative is what I really really love. So that’s what, so actually getting back to that. Getting back working with Matt (Little Britain co-star Matt Lucas) has been a joy."
But the Scottish host wasn't about to let it go, and seized the opportunity to bring up BGT again when Walliams told her he was getting a new puppy, who he and his son Alfred, 11, have named Eric – which is the name of Cowell's son.
Walliams, who explained he already has another dog said: "We have a Bert and an Ernie and then it's Eric and Ernie."
"It's a tribute to Simon Cowell in a way," Kelly jumped in. "Because that's his son! Is his son not called Eric?" she laughed. But a seemingly unamused Walliams insisted: "Well, he is named after Eric Morecambe."
At the time, viewers took to X to share their thoughts on the moment. "David Walliams trying to be diplomatic about #BGT," posted one. Someone else added: "David Walliams would make an excellent politician." While a third said: "Of all the names he could've named his dog, why Eric? That's a strange coincidence."
In November 2022, The Guardian said it had seen a leaked transcript in which the star, who had been a judge on BGT from 2012, made derogatory and sexually explicit remarks about contestants on the 2020 series.
Walliams apologised, saying in a statement to the publication: “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.”
Last November he reached a settlement with the show's production company Fremantle after it was reported he was suing the company for misuse of private information and breaching data laws.
After the case was settled late last year, Fremantle said it was “sincerely sorry” that his “private conversations” were published.
