David Walliams claims he was recorded on the toilet by Britain’s Got Talent bosses, according to court documents

Telly star seeks £10m in High Court claim

David Walliams, the popular television personality and author, has lodged a £10 million claim in the High Court against the makers of Britain’s Got Talent. Court documents allege that Walliams was recorded while using the toilet, as his microphone was secretly left on by show producers. The claim also states that fellow judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, and Alesha Dixon were monitored in the same way.

Walliams suffered suicidal thoughts after being axed from BGT

According to The Celeb Report, Walliams decided to take legal action against the show’s bosses after experiencing suicidal thoughts following his removal from Britain’s Got Talent. The 52-year-old was fired from the hit show last year after jokes he made about contestants were leaked to the press.

Private conversations recorded for ten years

The High Court writ, which spans 21 pages, claims that Fremantle Media, the production company behind BGT, recorded, transcribed, and retained private conversations involving Walliams for a period of ten years. This allegedly included conversations that took place during breaks and even when Walliams went to the toilet.

Details of private material recorded

According to the court documents, some of the recorded material included private discussions between Walliams and Alesha Dixon about his personal life, such as his marriage, divorce, spending habits, sex life, and mental and physical health. The documents also state that the recordings covered topics such as Walliams’ political views, views on religion, family disputes, battle with food addiction and weight problems, opinions about other celebrities, and the impact of his father’s death.

Leaked comments led to discovery of surveillance

Walliams claims that he only became aware of the extent of the surveillance on him when his “disrespectful” remarks about two contestants were leaked to The Guardian and published in November last year. The newspaper had obtained and reviewed transcripts of the judges’ comments for three days of filming at the London Palladium in January 2020. Walliams apologized at the time, stating that the comments were taken from private conversations and were not intended to be shared publicly.

Walliams seeks £10m in damages

As a result of the alleged surveillance and his subsequent removal from Britain’s Got Talent, Walliams is seeking financial damages. This includes £1 million that he stood to receive from the show and £1.7 million in lost earnings from the past year. Walliams is also seeking £3.4 million to cover future losses over the next two years, as well as additional damages for psychiatric harm, distress, and the loss of control over his private information. Legal costs could potentially bring the total amount sought to as much as £10 million.

Last night, Walliams’ lawyers declined to comment on the case. Fremantle Media expressed surprise and sadness at the legal action and stated that they are open to dialogue to resolve the matter. However, they also stated that they are prepared to vigorously defend themselves if necessary.

According to the court documents, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden were also monitored in the same way as Walliams.