A resurfaced interview shows Piers Morgan refusing to work with David Walliams, calling him "one of the nastiest frauds in TV" and saying he would only return to Britain's Got Talent if Walliams was fired.
Morgan, who served as a judge on Britain's Got Talent in its early series, said in 2022 that he could not work with Walliams, who by then had been a judge on the ITV contest for 10 years.
Morgan's Conditions for Return
In 2020, Morgan told the Sunday Mirror: "I do have conversations with BGT every now and again, particularly after Simon had his injury. But I couldn't work with Walliams. I think he is a duplicitous, treacherous, piece of work. I will come back to BGT if the money is right and if they guarantee Walliams gets fired. I might even make it a contractual clause that I get to be the one who tells him he is fired."
Walliams, 55, is the subject of a joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News, which has seen him accused of allegedly using his status as a celebrity to prey on vulnerable teenagers and young women for sex.
Walliams Denies Allegations
Walliams has denied all of the claims made against him, saying: "I am not a sexual predator... I have not broken the law."
In a letter to journalists working on the investigation, he wrote: "Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with. I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret. And whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did."
He added: "I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me."
BGT Departure and Response
Walliams left Britain's Got Talent in 2022 after apologising for making "disrespectful comments" about auditioning contestants during filming breaks two years earlier. According to The Guardian, he called one contestant "c***" three times before claiming that one woman was like the "slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to f*** them, but you don't."
At the time, Walliams said in a statement: "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."
Bosses of Britain's Got Talent have urged people who "feel they've been the subject of wrongdoing" to speak up in the wake of the Walliams documentary. A spokesperson for Fremantle UK, who make BGT, told Deadline: "We are disturbed and concerned at these serious allegations. David Walliams has not been a judge on Britain's Got Talent for more than four years. During his time on the show and in the intervening period, no complaint was ever made regarding his behaviour to Fremantle UK. If anyone feels they have been the subject of any impropriety or wrongdoing by anyone on any Fremantle or associated labels' productions, we encourage them to come forward. We will treat any complaints seriously. Protecting the welfare of our employees, freelancers, contributors and fans has always been and absolutely remains paramount for the company."
The Metropolitan Police said it has contacted the Guardian and ITV News to "ensure that any potential victims" are "made aware of how they could report any criminal allegations to police". A Met spokesperson said: "We're aware of reports in the media in relation to allegations involving a man in his 50s. The Met has not received any related reports of sexual assault or any other offences. Should we receive any reports, they will be carefully assessed. Anyone who contacts the police will be supported by specialist officers. Last week, we contacted the media organisations that were involved in civil proceedings relating to the protection of the identity of that individual, to ensure that any potential victims who they have spoken to could be made aware of how they could report any criminal allegations to police. Reports can be made by calling 101, providing the reference 4900/10NOV26."
