David Walliams' explosive new claims against BGT bosses
David Walliams has claimed he has suffered suicidal thoughts since being dropped as a judge from Britain's Got Talent, according to court documents.
The explosive claims have been documented in the high-profile case with the UK High Court, which began after Walliams was axed from the popular TV show following a leaking of a hot mic conversation.
The 52-year-old was unknowingly being recorded when he made vile comments about contestants, and was subsequently asked to leave the show after a decade on the judging panel.
Now, Walliams is suing Fremantle Media after they allegedly “recorded, transcribed and retained” private conversations for ten years from Walliams and the other judges on the show.
He alleges they collected private and sensitive details of conversations throughout his time on the family favourite series, and he claims fellow judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon were monitored the same way by production staff.
Walliams, who says he has suffered suicidal thoughts after being cancelled from public life, is seeking £1 million (A$1.9 million) he stood to get from the prime-time ITV show, plus £1.7 million (A$3.25 million) in lost earnings from the last year.
He wants an additional £3.4 million (A$6.5 million) covering future losses over at least the next two years, taking the total to £6.1 million (A$11.65 million).
In addition he is seeking further unspecified damages for psychiatric harm, distress and upset and the loss of control over his private information and legal costs, which sources say could bring the total up to as much as £10 million (A$19 million).
The court documents claim that Walliams was uninvited from an official royal event to read at the Commonwealth Writing Competition with Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace, after he was dropped from BGT.
He said in that time after he left the show, he has received only one new work booking, having “catastrophic results for his reputation and career”.
Walliams says he is now fighting “active suicidal thoughts” and has “lost the ability to be funny” amid fears that whatever he says or does will be used against him.
In the lengthy court documents, Walliams says the fallout destroyed his “reputation and career” as a comedian, TV personality and children’s author.
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