“Will not rest until legislation is updated”: Katie Waissel calls for David Walliams' suspension over BGT audio controversy

Katie Waissel has spoken out against David Walliams following audio recordings of the BGT judge calling an elderly contestant a "c***," and using offensive language towards another female contestant off camera.

Voice notes from a recording of the show from 2020 surfaced on November 10, 2022, via The Guardian. In the audio, Walliams is heard three times calling the pensioner a "c***" after he allegedly made a remark about the BGT judge. He also commented about another female contestant:

"She thinks you want to f*** her, but you don't."

Waissel demanded David Walliams' suspension until the matter was investigated by the production company (Image via @katiewessel24/Twitter).

As the news circulated, the former X-Factor star tweeted that she intends to bring up the BGT judge's remarks during her meeting with the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee on November 14, 2022.

She also called for David Walliams' suspension and for Talkback Thames and Syco, the production company behind Britain's Got Talent, to investigate the breach in conduct immediately.

She told MailOnline that she will not rest until legislation is updated, stating:

"As a mother, who myself is a victim of s*xual assault and mistreatment in the industry sector, I cannot and will not rest until legislation is updated to reflect the rightful safeguarding and protection for victims sadly masked by 'showbiz'."

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David Walliams' questionable skits add to the backlash

Katie Waissel, who came seventh on the seventh season of X-Factor in 2020, told MailOnline that she is absolutely determined to put a "full and final stop to the ongoing abuse and neglect of care to vulnerable and unknowing participants or contestants."

The 36-year-old is an avid campaigner for better working conditions and support for reality TV contestants. She founded the OWHL Foundation, which stands for 'Overseeing the welfare, human rights and liberty for all in the creative industry' and is currently training to be a lawyer.

Certain inappropriate skits performed by David Walliams also cropped up as he continued to receive criticism on social media, including one in which he was seen pulling down male audience members' trousers on stage.

The former X-Factor star retweeted the video and commented that she was deeply disturbed and heartbroken for the victims, many of whom were noted to be minors.

The performance involves David Walliams as Des Kay, a children's performer who challenges the men in the audience to a game of "hide the sausage." The audience members are then kissed on the lips before having their pants pulled down, leaving them flustered on stage and scrambling to cover themselves up.

The 2007 video was part of a BBC documentary that followed David Walliams and his former co-star Matt Lucas as they performed their Little Britain stage show across Australia.

When asked about the skit in the documentary, the comedian said:

"It didn’t start like that, it kind of grew when I became greedy for laughs."

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David Walliams' apology to The Guardian found wanting

David Walliams issued a statement to The Guardian after the derogatory remarks surfaced, stating that he would like to apologize to the people he made disrespectful comments about during breaks in filming for Britain's Got Talent in 2020. He continued:

"These were private conversations and – like most conversations with friends – were never intended to be shared. Nevertheless, I am sorry."

The apology did little to put out the flames, as netizens found it insincere and lackluster.

A spokesperson for Simon Cowell and Syco Entertainment noted that they were unaware of the alleged conversation until they were contacted by The Guardian and added:

"Britain's Got Talent is a family show and we do not condone the use of any such language."

ITV, the show's broadcast network, wrote in their statement:

"We do not condone the language outlined in these allegations, and we have spoken to the producers of Britain's Got Talent."

David Walliams took up the mantle of a judge on the show in 2012. His fellow panelists include Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, and Amanda Holden.