David Walliams was ‘locked in a prison cell for seven hours’ by Italian police during a trip to Venice
David Walliams has revealed how he was taken into custody for seven hours by Italian police during a trip to Venice.
The Little Britain actor, 52, who is also a children’s author, appeared at the annual Henley Literary Festival in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, for a ‘one-hour spectacular’ on October 7.
The Independent, the festival’s news partner, reports the comedian spoke about being apprehended by Italian authorities after being asked by a young fan where his favourite place to write is during a Q&A session at the literary event.
The Britain’s Got Talent recounted his experience of being taken into custody by customs officials after unknowingly travelling to Venice with an expired passport.
He told the audience member: ‘I’ll tell you a story that I haven’t told anyone yet. Recently I went to Venice for a little weekend, and I have two passports. One that is out of date, and one that isn’t. By accident, I picked up the out-of-date one.
Locked up: David Walliams (pictured in 2020) has revealed how he was taken into custody for seven hours by Italian police during a trip to Venice
‘And this wasn’t spotted at Heathrow. It wasn’t until I arrived at Venice that it was spotted. And I was taken away by the Italian police, and I was locked in the cell for seven hours.’
‘I was only at one point asked if I fancied a glass of water. But luckily, my laptop was fully charged.
‘I had my little carry-on luggage, and I sat there, and I typed for seven hours straight, and the time passed very well. So the best place to write, for me, is an Italian prison cell.’
Walliams was also asked by another young attendee about his controversial departure from Britain’s Got Talent.
He responded: ‘Ask me again when you’re 18 years old, and you’ll find out the answer.’
Walliams stepped down as a judge on the popular ITV reality series in November 2022 after a 10 year stint on the panel, following being caught off-camera talking inappropriately about contestants.
The comedian had made lewd and offensive comments about two contestants, in which he branded an elderly auditionee a ‘c***’ three times, and said of a female competitor: ‘She thinks you want to f**k her, but you don’t.’
The remarks, revealed by The Guardian, are said to have taken place during a recorded audition show at the London Palladium in January 2020.
Passport blunder: The Little Britain actor, 52, recounted his experience of being taken into custody after unknowingly travelling to Venice (stock image) with an expired passport
Walliams later issued an apology, stating: ‘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.’
Last month, it was reported that Walliams is suing the production company behind Britain’s Got Talent, FremantleMedia, who produce the reality series for ITV.
Walliams is seeking ‘significant damages,’ as he revealed how he is fighting ‘active suicidal thoughts’ and has ‘lost the ability to be funny’ due to fears about his remarks being leaked without his consent, in High Court papers obtained by The Sun.
Exit: Walliams (pictured, left, alongside Amanda Holden and Ashley Banjo in 2020), quit as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent in 2022 after making offensive comments about contestants
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