BBC Apologises After David Walliams' Nazi Salute During Would I Lie To You? Taping

The BBC has apologised for David Walliams’ “unacceptable” behaviour during a recent taping of a Would I Lie To You? special.

Earlier this week, the former Little Britain star was a guest on the pre-recorded Christmas special of the popular BBC panel show.

During the recording, fellow guest Helen George attempted to convince her opponents that she once injured herself while waving on the official Strictly Come Dancing tour.

As she demonstrated the wave that supposedly caused the injury, BBC News reported that David joined with increasingly exaggerated hand gestures, eventually culminating in him performing a Nazi salute.

They also claimed that at one point he performed a Nazi salute with one hand and a sexual gesture with the other.

One audience member told BBC News: “The atmosphere was uncomfortable and weird. I think Rob Brydon wanted to get past it as quickly as he could.

“David Walliams’ teammates looked unsure what to do and were not laughing... It was like an elephant in the room after that as the incident was early on in the recording and so the remainder of the show felt weird.”

A spokesperson for the broadcaster later said: “The use of such an offensive gesture is completely unacceptable and we apologise to all at the recording for the offence caused.”

Meanwhile, a representative for Banijay – the production company who makes Would I Lie To You? – also issued an apology, insisting: “Any attempt at humour regarding this deeply offensive gesture, whether broadcast or not, is completely unacceptable in any context.

“It was immediately acknowledged during the recording that this segment would not be broadcast under any circumstances and we apologise to those who were at the recording for any offence caused.”

HuffPost UK has also contacted David Walliams’ team for comment.

BBC News noted that David has made only a handful of terrestrial TV appearances in recent history, following his departure from Britain’s Got Talent in 2022 after 10 years on the panel.

David’s exit came after recordings of him making disparaging and sexually explicit remarks about numerous BGT hopefuls on the set of the show in 2020, for which he later apologised, were leaked to the press.