Katie Waissel has come out against David Walliams after audio recordings of the BGT judge calling one elderly competitor a “c***” and using inappropriate language off camera against another female contestant. The Guardian published voice notes from a 2020 recording of the program on November 10, 2022. Walliams is heard three times in the tape calling the senior a “c***” after reportedly making a joke about the BGT judge. He also made a remark about another female contestant:
“She believes you’re going to f*** her, but you’re not.”
As the story spread, the former X-Factor judge tweeted that she plans to bring up the BGT judge’s words on her November 14, 2022, hearing with the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee. She also demanded that David Walliams be suspended and that Talkback Thames and Syco, the production firm behind Britain’s Got Talent, promptly investigate the violation of behavior.
Katie Waissel calls for David Walliams’ suspension over BGT audio controversy https://t.co/3OkIi8Q6dM
— Simon Cowell News (@SimonPopCowell) November 14, 2022
She told MailOnline that she would not stop campaigning until the law is revised, adding:
“As a mother who has experienced sexual assault and harassment in the entertainment sector, I cannot and will not rest until the law is revised to reflect the proper shielding and protection for victims who are regrettably camouflaged by showbiz.'”
The controversy is exacerbated by David Walliams’ dubious skits.
Katie Waissel, who finished seventh on the seventh season of The X-Factor in 2020, told MailOnline that she is dead set on putting a “complete and final halt to the continuous abuse and lack of care to vulnerable and ignorant participants or competitors.” The 36-year-old is an outspoken advocate for improved working conditions and for reality TV competitors. She established the OWHL Foundation, which stands for “Overseeing the welfare, human rights, and liberty for everybody in the creative business,” and is presently studying law.
Certain problematic David Walliams sketches surfaced as he continues to face backlash on social media, including one in which he was spotted tugging down male audience members’ pants on stage. The former X-Factor judge shared the video and expressed her sadness and heartbreak for the victims, many of whom were youngsters.
David Walliams plays Des Kay, a children’s entertainer who dares the males in the crowd to a game of “hide the sausage.” Members of the crowd are then kissed on the lips before having their trousers yanked down, leaving them embarrassed on stage and scrambling to hide. The film was part of a BBC documentary that followed David Walliams and his former co-star Matt Lucas as they toured Australia with their Little Britain stage act.
When questioned about the documentary skit, the comic said:
“It didn’t start that; it evolved as I got thirsty for laughter.”
The apology of David Walliams to The Guardian was judged lacking.
After the insulting statements appeared, David Walliams published a statement to The Guardian, indicating that he would want to apologize to the individuals he made nasty comments about during breaks in shooting for Britain’s Got Talent in 2020. He went on:
“These were private chats that, like most with friends, were never meant to be shared. Nonetheless, I apologize.”
The apologies did nothing to quell the outrage, as netizens saw it as phony and weak. A spokeswoman for Simon Cowell and Syco Entertainment said that they were unaware of the purported dialogue until The Guardian contacted them, adding:
“Britain’s Got Talent is a family program, and the use of such words is not 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 with the producers of Britain’s Got Talent.”
David Walliams joined the show’s panel of judges in 2012. Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, and Amanda Holden are among the other panelists.
