London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2025

David Walliams’ response to Netflix and BBC removing Little Britain after woke backlash

David Walliams’ response to Netflix and BBC removing Little Britain after woke backlash

DAVID WALLIAMS responded to Netflix and the BBC removing Little Britain amid objections over the sketch show's characters, in a throwback interview.

David Walliams appears on The Jonathan Ross Show tonight as part of a star-studded lineup. Joining Jonathan and David will be Great British Bake Off icons Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, documentary maker Louis Theroux, and Hollywood superstar Kevin Hart. Chart-toppers Westlife also pops in for a chat, during which they reveal that their children have started performing together. The boyband will also perform a song from their impressive back catalogue, which includes 14 UK number-one singles, cementing their status as one of the most successful boy bands of all time.

Mr Walliams is best known for his work with fellow comedian Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch show Little Britain and Come Fly With Me.

Since then, he has been a judge on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent among a host of other things, including swimming the length of the River Thames for Sport Relief and writing a series of children’s books.

Little Britain came under fire last year for some of the characters used in various sketches.

Netflix pulled both Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, while both the BBC and Britbox removed Little Britain.

A BBC spokesperson said at the time: “Times have changed since Little Britain first aired so it is currently available on BBC iPlayer.”

Little Britain was removed by the BBC, Netflix and Britbox.

Mr Walliams has apologise for the use of blackface.


Criticism included making jokes about transvestites and the use of blackface.

They used make-up and prosthetics to play characters from different ethnic backgrounds to their own.

Both Mr Walliams and Mr Lucas have since apologised.

Speaking to The Sun last year, Mr Walliams said he would adopt a different approach now.

He said: “You’d definitely do it differently because it’s a different time.

Owen Jones accused the show of inciting hurtful stereotypes.


“There’s all kinds of tolerances that change.”

He did, however, insist he was not mocking minorities in the show: “You’ve got to understand comedy for me is celebrating things.”

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement last year, he also released a statement: “Matt and I have both spoken publicly in recent years of our regret that we played characters of other races.

“Once again we want to make it clear that it was wrong and we are very sorry.”

Mr Lucas had previously expressed his own regrets over the show.

Mr Walliams and Mr Lucas have both expressed regret at some of the scenes.


He told The Big Issue in a 2017 interview: “If I could go back and do Little Britain again, I wouldn’t make those jokes about transvestites. I wouldn’t play black characters.

“Basically, I wouldn’t make that show now. It would upset people.

“We made a more cruel kind of comedy than I’d do now. Society has moved on a lot since then and my own views have evolved.”

Little Britain first hit our screens in 2003 and ended in 2006.

Political commentator Owen Jones said in his 2011 book ‘Class: The Demonization of the Working Class’ that the show had helped perpetuate various unkind stereotypes about working-class people.

David Walliams and Matt Lucas take part in the BBC Children In Need and Comic Relief 'Big Night In'


The popular series, which received 9.5 million viewers after its move to BBC One in 2005, has had a number of one-off specials since.

Mr Walliams and Mr Lucas stopped working with each other in 2011, and it was revealed in Mr Lucas’ autobiography that tensions came to a head during the 2005 Little Britain Live tour.

He wrote they were “often at loggerheads” and rows often escalated. One particular disagreement, over Mr Walliams’ facial hair, turned into a vicious screaming match.

Mr Lucas wrote they were “suddenly hurling obscenities at each other”.

The pair eventually fixed their feud, and created a Little Brexit spin-off, which broadcast on BBC Radio 4, where Little Britain first started in 2000.

Mr Walliams told The Sun last year that there will “definitely be some more Little Britain coming”.

He said: “I can’t say when exactly but at the right time and place.”

He added: “Matt and I have been getting lots of offers to do more things together again.

“We just need to decide whether it is revisiting something we’ve already done or working on something brand new, or doing both those things.”

David Walliams appears on The Jonathan Ross Show tonight. The show begins at 9:30pm, and will also be available on ITV Player.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
×