David Walliams’ future on Britain’s Got Talent is “very much up in the air” following the judge’s apology for inappropriate remarks about contestants.
A spokesperson for the ITV show said the comedian and actor’s role in next year’s series was not guaranteed, amid reports he won’t be part of the judging panel for the first time in more than a decade.
The Sun newspaper says Walliams, who joined in 2012, will be leaving.
It comes after the 51-year-old apologised for “disrespectful comments” he made during breaks in filming in 2020.
A spokesperson for Britain’s Got Talent told PA news agency: “The judging panel for Britain’s Got Talent 2023 will be announced in due course.
“It’s still very much up in the air at the moment on whether David is going to take part in next year’s show.
“No decision, though, has been made as yet.”
What is Walliams alleged to have said?
The remarks are understood to have been derogatory and sexually explicit, referring to one contestant as a “c***” and saying of another: “She thinks you want to f*** her, but you don’t.”
First reported by The Guardian, the comments were part of a leaked transcript seen by the newspaper, taken from a recorded show at the London Palladium in January 2020.
They are understood to have been picked up by microphones on the judges’ desk at the centre of the auditorium.
In a statement, Walliams said: “These were private conversations and – like most conversations with friends – were never intended to be shared. Nevertheless, I am sorry.”
Thames TV, the production company behind Britain’s Got Talent, said in a statement that the language used was “inappropriate” and that those involved had been “reminded of their responsibilities”.
ITV said it did not condone the language and had “spoken to the producers” about the incident.
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Walliams has been on the panel with Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon, and he has been named best judge at the National Television Awards three times during his stint.
But PA news agency understands nobody is currently contracted for the 2023 series, with no auditions in front of a judging panel expected for another two months.