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.
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tweet → brand → 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.
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he → unmask → 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.
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he → record → 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..
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he → act → iceberg
He also branded Walliams 'soooooo creepy' in a tweet in May the same year.
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He → brand → May
In 2020, in an interview with The Sunday Mirror, when asked about returning to BGT, Morgan said: 'I couldn’t work with Walliams...
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I → ask → Walliams
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 (David pictured with Piers in 2012)
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David → brand → 2012
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..
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he → act → iceberg
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
'
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he → unmask → teens
I think he is a duplicitous, treacherous, piece of work.
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he → think → work
I will come back to BGT if the money is right and if they guarantee Walliams gets fired.
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Walliams → come → BGT
I might even make it a contractual clause that I get to be the one who tells him he is fired'.
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he → make → him
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.'
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Morgan → poke → me
Following Tuesday's release of The Guardian and ITV's allegations, BGT producers said: 'David Walliams left Britain's Got Talent four years ago...
'
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Walliams → follow → Talent
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...
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complaints → make → behaviour
'Nevertheless, if anyone feels they have been the subject of any impropriety or wrongdoing by anyone, we encourage them to come forward...
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we → feel → them
'We will treat any complaints seriously and investigate thoroughly and to the best of our ability.
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We → treat → 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
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This → protect → company
company Syco Entertainment said: 'Syco Entertainment had no knowledge of the allegations described and was not made aware of them at the time.'
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Entertainment → say → time
Prior to the allegations, the 55-year-old was recorded making sexually explicit and derogatory remarks towards Britain's Got Talent contestants, leading to his departure as a judge on the show - a role he held for a decade (pictured on the show in 2020)
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he → record → 2020
ITV said in a statement: 'We are very sorry to hear about the concerns that have been raised.
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that → say → concerns
BGT is produced for ITV by Fremantle, an independent production company.
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BGT → produce → Fremantle
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.'
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producer → have → obligations
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.
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you → make → pair
You couldn't go by yourself.'
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You → go → yourself
Walliams denies any wrongdoing and argued in the High Court that he would kill himself if his identity were revealed.
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identity → deny → himself
On Tuesday afternoon, Downing Street said allegations of sexual misconduct made by multiple women were 'deeply troubling'.
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allegations → say → women
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.
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he → name → her
Jade claims they met in London's Soho before he drove her to his home in his Aston Martin.
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he → claim → Martin
She alleges Walliams sexually assaulted her at Supernova Heights, the mansion once owned by Oasis star Noel Gallagher.
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Walliams → allege → Gallagher
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'
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Morgan → poke → me
Walliams launched a High Court bid to prevent the media reporting the allegations, prompting fevered speculation online about his identity
'
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media → launch → identity
He asked me to come over and gave me a hug.
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He → ask → hug
That's when he kissed me,' Jade alleged of Walliams, who was 36 at the time.
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who → kiss → time
'He lifted my top up and sucked on my breast and then tried to put my hand down his trousers.
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He → lift → trousers
That's when I pulled away and said, "No".
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I → pull → ?
He had an erection at the time,' she said.
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she → have → time
I didn't want to do that, with him or with anyone.
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I → want → anyone
I didn't want to be touched in that way at all.
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I → want → way
I mean, I was only 15.'
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I → mean → ?
…and 43 more, not listed.