Simon Cowell ‘feared David Walliams was not a good person’ as his reaction to sex claims ‘revealed’

Simon Cowell reportedly had his fears that David Walliams was “not a good person” years before the sexual misconduct allegations came out.

The Britain’s Got Talent judge, 67, and his former fellow judge, 55, were known for their jovial banter on the ITV talent show, which Walliams left in 2022.

One women alleged that Walliams used his position as a BGT judge to contact young female fans privately, invite them to his dressing room or home and make unwanted advances.

An employee said he saw very young female guests in Walliams’ dressing room while he was wearing only a towel.

Cowell seemingly distanced himself from Walliams four years ago after his BGT exit, with sources telling The Mail that he had harboured suspicions about the entertainer.

Simon Cowell with David Walliams

PA

As for the current allegations, an insider said: “Simon hasn’t had anything to do with David for a long time now and he won’t ever again.

“He is pleased that David went from BGT and that it has now moved on without him.” The Standard has contacted Cowell’s representative for comment.

Walliams left BGT after he was caught making sexual remarks about a female contestant and describing an elderly contestant as a “c***”.

Cowell later said that Walliams was “very respectful and emotional” about other contestants for much of his time on BGT.

But he continued: “We had a conversation. But you know, he owned what he said, he wasn't proud of what he said. This is not something that I would ever condone.”

Walliams with Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon

PA

He added that, while he is an executive producer on the show, he wasn’t “really involved” in the decision for Walliams to leave, saying two other producers were “more hands on”.

Earlier this week, multiple women came forward with allegations about Walliams.

Walliams said in a statement: “Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with.

Allegations facing David Walliams

• Several teenage girls and young women have accused Walliams of preying on them in allegations dating back to 2003
• One woman described an encounter with Walliams at 15 years old as a “sexual assault”
• Another said that Walliams began contacting her when she was 15, after meeting at a Little Britain fan event, before starting a sexual relationship at 17
• He is accused of “persistently” contacting a production agency for contact details of a young woman he wanted to meet
• Several women have said that Walliams used social media platforms to initiate private contact, sending direct messages to teenage girls, and moving conversations towards sexual or intimate interactions
• A number of women allege he used his position as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) to contact young female fans privately, invite them to his dressing room or home, and make unwanted advances
• One employee said that he saw very young female guests in Walliams’ dressing room while he was wearing only a towel
• Another employee said they received £300 from Walliams as a thank-you gift, which a senior colleague called “hush money”
• Former HarperCollins employees allege that Walliams sent inappropriate messages to junior female staff
• One employee says she raised concerns with management and HR about messages sent to a young colleague, but nothing happened
• Staff reportedly changed working arrangements to ensure young female employees did not visit Walliams’ home alone
• Walliams admits to having a sexual relationship with a junior employee who was an intern in 2017, which she subsequently described as consensual but an abuse of power

“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.”

The injunction bid was dismissed and, after Walliams failed to appeal, he was named in the three-year Guardian and ITV News investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to 2003.

Walliams was named in an ITV news investigation

ITV News

One woman alleged Walliams began contacting her, then 15, after meeting her at a Little Britain fan event, before starting a sexual relationship with her at the age of 17.

Another said she was 18 when the then 31-year-old Walliams first contacted her in 2003.

She told the investigation: “He groomed me as a young adult, I was vulnerable. He made me feel special, plying me with gifts. Then disregarding me when he didn’t get what he wanted.”

Walliams is also accused of inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment at Britain’s Got Talent and at the publisher, HarperCollins.

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