David Walliams said he feared that his ‘very bad taste’ WhatsApp messages could emerge just months before he was axed by his publisher.
The 54-year-old comedian was dropped by his publisher HarperCollins following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff.
He is alleged to have harassed employees at the publishing house, and it is said that one woman later left the company with a five-figure settlement after raising concerns.
Mr Walliams was not informed of the allegations at the time and has denied any wrongdoing.
Now in a leaked recording, the Little Britain creator said he fears his ‘poor taste’ messages could emerge.
The children’s author admitted to a small convention crowd he frequently shares ‘very bad taste jokes’ with other high profile celebrity comedians and friends and has worries they could be brought into the public spotlight.
Mr Walliams told a cybersecurity event in February: ‘Imagine if all my WhatsApp messages came out….there’s bad taste jokes with friends, other comedians. Very bad taste comments and jokes all the time.’
‘You may notice the kind of things you share with each other are often in quite poor taste and I can’t imagine it isn’t just me, right?’
David Walliams said he feared that his ‘very bad taste’ WhatsApp messages could emerge just months before he was axed by his publisher
The 54-year-old comedian was dropped by his publisher HarperCollins following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff
‘People send you bizarre things. And I just imagine if all that comes up. You have different jokes with different people, don’t you?’
‘I mean, my mom, I wouldn’t send her some of the stuff that you know certain friends do.
‘It does worry me,’ he added at the small convention in Old Trafford, Manchester.
The Mail can also reveal that Mr Walliams was dropped as an ambassador earlier in the year for a leading children’s charity.
The Children’s Trust announced the television stat as its latest celebrity supporter in January 2018, joining the likes of singer Dame Elaine Paige and actress Joely Richardson.
But yesterday, a spokesperson for the charity told the Mail : ‘After a review of our ambassador programme earlier in the year, David Walliams is no longer an ambassador of The Children’s Trust.’
Walliams has supported The Children’s Trust, which focuses on children suffering with brain injury and neurodisability, for several years and has dropped-in on Christmas Day to read to children.
The star was appointed an OBE for his services to charity and to the arts in 2007.
The comedian-turned-author will also no longer appear at the bookseller’s annual children’s festival in February, with Waterstones confirming his removal on Sunday.
Over the weekend, customers attempting to buy tickets online reported problems, with error messages appearing when they tried to book for the event.
Waterstones later confirmed that Mr Walliams would no longer be taking part. A spokesman for the chain said: ‘HarperCollins have confirmed that David Walliams will no longer be appearing at our festival in Dundee.’
The BBC has said it has severed ties with Walliams, confirming there are ‘no future projects directly involving him’. However, adaptations of his children’s books Mr Stink and The Boy in the Dress were broadcast on Sunday.
A spokesperson for Mr Walliams said: ‘He was not party to any investigation or given any opportunity to answer questions. David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice.’
