Marina Hyde has claimed that the controversial comments which led to David Walliams leaving Britain's Got Talent were "leaked" by people within the show, saying someone was trying to get rid of him.
Walliams, 55, departed the ITV programme in 2022 after derogatory remarks he made about contestants came to light. During filming breaks at the London Palladium, he was recorded calling one contestant a 'c***' and saying of another: "She thinks you want to f*** her, but you don't."
Claim of deliberate leak
Speaking on The Rest is Entertainment podcast, which she hosts with Richard Osman, Hyde said: "Did we also know that people were trying to get rid of him? Operatives, I don't know who and I don't know at what level... who leaked those comments? They were trying to get rid, someone at some level in Britain's Got Talent was trying to get rid of him."
Walliams, who has been accused of allegedly using his celebrity status to prey on vulnerable teenagers and young women for sex - allegations he denies - sued the show's makers Fremantle for misuse of private information and breach of data protection laws. The case was settled in 2023.
High Court action
Hyde, 52, added: "Those comments were leaked, they dropped him and rather than leave that - which you might have thought, you are a hugely bestselling author, perhaps why would you wish to excavate it? - he sued them in the High Court in 2023."
She continued: "He clearly thought they had leaked it deliberately. Eventually they settled amicably. I can assure you that would not have been at all amicable on either side."
Career on the show
Walliams was a judge on Britain's Got Talent for a decade, joining in 2012 alongside Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden. When he left in 2022, he was replaced by Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli.
The show, still a big hit for ITV, is due to return next year. Since 2026, YouTuber and musician KSI has taken Bruno's spot on the judging panel after the Italian star ran into scheduling conflicts. The Mirror has contacted representatives for Britain's Got Talent.
