David Walliams says he has suffered "suicidal thoughts" and has “lost the ability to be funny” following his exit from Britain's Got Talent (BGT).
The former BGT judge and children's author David Walliams is suing the ITV show after he was axed for comments he made about contestants.
His exit came after the comments he made during filming at the London Palladium were recorded and leaked to the public.
The leaked audio heard Walliams describe one contestant as a "c**t" before claiming one of the female participants thought another judge wanted to "f*** her".
Following the leak, Walliams apologised for making "disrespectful comments", saying: "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."
Walliams has since been replaced on BGT by Bruno Tonioli, who joined the judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.
He is now attempting to sue BGT production company Fremantle for a 'data protection breach' over the audio, according to The Sun. It is said Walliams is seeking £10 million.
Walliams fighting "suicidal thoughts" after BGT axing
The High Court claim against the makers of the popular ITV show, obtained by The Sun, reveals Walliams' axing from BGT caused “catastrophic results for his reputation and career”.
It claims he had an invitation to read at the Commonwealth Writing Competition with Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace withdrawn.
He was also dropped from various programmes and TV appearances including on the Jonathan Ross Show, a podcast with Little Britain co-star Matt Lucas and West End musicals, The Sun reports.
Walliams says he is now fighting “active suicidal thoughts” and has “lost the ability to be funny”.
The lawsuit details how Walliams has suffered “a return of severe depression, including suicidal thoughts”.
In a report in the lawsuit, consultant psychiatrist Dr Mark Collins, who has treated him for many years, said his depression was “possibly the worst since I first met him”.
BGT production company open to resolving David Walliams claim
BGT production company Fremantle has responded to the article in The Sun, saying it is open to resolving his claims “amicably” but is prepared to “robustly defend” itself if need be.
In response, a Fremantle spokesperson said: “We had a long and productive relationship with David and so are surprised and saddened by this legal action.
“For our part, we remain available and open to dialogue to resolve this matter amicably.
“However, in the interim, we will examine the various allegations and are prepared to robustly defend ourselves if necessary.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel