How Piers Morgan branded David Walliams 'one of the nastiest frauds in TV' and a 'treacherous piece of work' - as he is unmasked as gag order celebrity

A 2022 tweet by Piers Morgan branding David Walliams 'one of the nastiest frauds in TV' has come to light in the wake of accusations about the comedian. 

On Tuesday, Walliams was unmasked as the celebrity who fought for a court order to suppress allegations that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl and preyed on multiple teenage girls while 'abusing his status' to exploit teens. 

Prior to the allegations, the 55-year-old was recorded making sexually explicit and derogatory remarks towards Britain's Got Talent (BGT) contestants, leading to his departure as a judge on the show – a role he held for a decade. 

Morgan, who acted as judge on the show from 2007 to 2010, held a well-documented grudge against the star and when the BGT news came to light in November 2022, he tweeted: 'Tip of the iceberg.. Walliams is one of the nastiest frauds in TV.'

He also branded Walliams 'soooooo creepy' in a tweet in May the same year. 

In 2020, in an interview with The Sunday Mirror, when asked about returning to BGT, Morgan said: 'I couldn’t work with Walliams...

'I think he is a duplicitous, treacherous, piece of work. I will come back to BGT if the money is right and if they guarantee Walliams gets fired. I might even make it a contractual clause that I get to be the one who tells him he is fired'. 

Poking fun at the feud, in 2012 Walliams took to Twitter to share an image showing him draped over Morgan with the caption: 'Piers Morgan loves me really.'

Following Tuesday's release of The Guardian and ITV's allegations, BGT producers said: 'David Walliams left Britain's Got Talent four years ago...

'During his time on the show, and in the four years since, no complaint has ever been made – either to Fremantle UK, the broadcaster or regulator, and we are not aware of any complaints having been made to any other authority regarding his behaviour...

'Nevertheless, if anyone feels they have been the subject of any impropriety or wrongdoing by anyone, we encourage them to come forward...

'We will treat any complaints seriously and investigate thoroughly and to the best of our ability. This has long been our policy in terms of protecting employees, freelancers, contributors and fans and absolutely remains paramount in our thinking and actions as a responsible television production company.'

Simon Cowell's company Syco Entertainment said: 'Syco Entertainment had no knowledge of the allegations described and was not made aware of them at the time.'

ITV said in a statement: 'We are very sorry to hear about the concerns that have been raised. BGT is produced for ITV by Fremantle, an independent production company.

'Although ITV is the broadcaster of the programme, the producer has day to day responsibility for the running of the production, including all aspects of duty of care, and for ensuring compliance with all legal and regulatory obligations as well as ITV's production and compliance guidelines.'

One whistleblower at his former publisher, HarperCollins, which made millions from his children's books, claimed: 'There was an agreement, if you went to his house you had to go in a pair. You couldn't go by yourself.'

Walliams denies any wrongdoing and argued in the High Court that he would kill himself if his identity were revealed. On Tuesday afternoon, Downing Street said allegations of sexual misconduct made by multiple women were 'deeply troubling'.

One accuser, named as Jade by ITV News and The Guardian, alleges she was sexually assaulted by Walliams when she was 15 after he contacted her online.

Jade claims they met in London's Soho before he drove her to his home in his Aston Martin. She alleges Walliams sexually assaulted her at Supernova Heights, the mansion once owned by Oasis star Noel Gallagher.

'He asked me to come over and gave me a hug. That's when he kissed me,' Jade alleged of Walliams, who was 36 at the time.

'He lifted my top up and sucked on my breast and then tried to put my hand down his trousers. That's when I pulled away and said, "No". He had an erection at the time,' she said.

'I wasn't ready for sex. I didn't want to do that, with him or with anyone. I didn't want to be touched in that way at all. I mean, I was only 15.'

She claimed she had confided in him that she had previously been sexually abused by someone else as a child, to which he responded: 'Sorry to hear that.'

Jade said she considers what she alleges happened to her to have been 'sexual assault' and 'grooming', adding: 'It's completely wrong in every way.'

Another woman, identified only as Alex, claims Walliams began contacting her when she was 15 and studying for her mock GCSEs after meeting her at a Little Britain fan event where he was dressed as his character Lou.

The moment they met was captured on camera. They began a sexual relationship around two years later, when she was 17.

Asked how she feels about him now, she said: 'I want to vomit. I hate him. My body reacts when I think about it. It's like a trauma response. I think I was groomed. One hundred per cent.'

Walliams launched a High Court bid to prevent the media reporting the allegations, prompting fevered speculation online about his identity.

Meanwhile in a resurfaced picture Britain's Got Talent judges Simon, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon took a photo with David and an 18-year-old fan. 

Just two weeks later the 18-year-old claimed Walliams tried to kiss her after getting her drunk on wine while he had water.

The 2016 photo is included in ITV News and the Guardian's joint report and sees Walliams posing with his BGT co-stars and three young fans, including Sarah who was 18 when she met the then 44-year-old Walliams.

In 2012, Walliams was a household name and joined Britain's Got Talent (BGT) as a judge.

During the 2016 recording the popular ITV show, Walliams had spotted Sarah's 18-year-old friend in the crowd, a young woman he had been in touch with for more than a year. 

As Walliams' guests the group were giving special seats behind the judges: Walliams, Dixon, Holden and Cowell. 

He then called her, Sarah and another friend up to the BGT judges' table for a photograph. 

After the filming ended, Sarah said she was waiting for a train home when she says she received a direct message from Walliams on Instagram, inviting her and her friends back to filming the next day. 'He was like: "Come to my hotel and we'll get some food and then I'll take you over to Britain's Got Talent"' she recalled.  

A fortnight later Walliams invited Sarah to stay over at his house, inviting her and a friend, who was also 18.

He allegedly poured them wine but drank water himself. She became tipsy.

'He kind of put his arms around the back of my waist, pulled me in towards him and tried to kiss me,' she claimed.

'I was like, 'I've got a boyfriend, you can't do that'.'

'I was just like no thank you, absolutely not, also, you're the same age as my mum. I was like, okay, this is where I need to get my wits about me now, and I need to be careful.'

The girls decided to go to bed but she claims he tried to take her to another floor. Her friend intervened and grabbed her hand, she claims.

'I could have run out the door, and I wouldn't have known where I was. I wouldn't have known who to call. I wouldn't have known what to do,' she said.

She claims to have messages where Walliams asked her friend if she 'liked' him.

Another BGT fan, Abby Tomlinson, said she was invited by Walliams via Twitter when she was 17. She went with a friend who was 13.

She said they were sent to his dressing room and two other teenagers were there.

When put to his lawyers, they said his 'door remained open at all times'.

She told ITV: 'That's not what happened at all… The door was shut and we were alone with him.

'I know now it's part of the pattern of inviting young girls and young women to his dressing room.

'It wasn't just like a one-off thing and I think that is a really concerning way for someone to act when they have this access.

'It's an open secret in the industry. Everyone knows that it's happening. I just think it's kind of disgraceful that he's still on TV.'

There is no suggestion that Simon, Amanda or Alesha knew anything about Walliams behaviour towards the girls mentioned in the recent media reports.