Katie Waissel calls for David Walliams to be suspended over 'Britain’s Got Talent' row

Katie Waissel has called for Britain's Got Talent to stop filming and David Walliams to be suspended after offensive remarks he made about contestants in 2020 were revealed.

Earlier this week, the Guardian reported that Walliams, a long-serving judge on the ITV reality show, had been overheard making insulting comments about some of those auditioning while on set.

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He was heard referring to a pensioner as "a c***" repeatedly, and saying of a female contestant: “She’s like the slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to f*** them, but you don’t."

Waissel, 36, was in series seven of The X Factor and also appeared in Celebrity Big Brother, later telling how she was sexually assaulted by a person on the X Factor team.

She has now set up the OWHL Foundation - 'Overseeing the welfare, human rights and liberty for all in the creative industry' - and is aiming to protect and support people involved in shows like the ones she has taken part in.

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Waissel told Mail Online: "As a mother, who myself is a victim of sexual 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'.

"Highlighting the utmost priority for those that are minors and vulnerable... I am calling for an emergency stop to filming/productions of current reality tv shows until their protocols are modified as to be fit for purpose, publicly shared, adhered to, and monitored by an independent body.

"I am also calling for the suspension of David Walliams, in order to for the production company, Talkback Thames, to investigate this serious breach of conduct immediately."

Waissel is due to meet with the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on Monday and plans to bring up her concerns about Walliams then.

Former BGT judge Piers Morgan further fanned the flames of the controversy when he tweeted: "Tip of the iceberg.. Walliams is one of the nastiest frauds in TV."

Walliams has apologised in a statement, saying: “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.”