David Walliams, 53, risks ‘being cancelled’ as he shocks BBC presenter with Keir Starmer dig in awkward on-air moment
Comedian David Walliams left The One Show presenters stunned as he made a jibe about Prime Minister Keir Starmer live on the show.
Hosts Alex Jones and Clara Amfo were speechless as the former Britain’s Got Talent judge wasted no opportunity in making a politically-loaded joke about Starmer.
The 53-year-old joined other guests on the signature sofa, including former Little Britain co-star Matt Lucas, 50 and former EastEnders star Lindsey Coulson, 64.
As Coulson began to chat about school thanks to her new role in BBC’s Waterloo Road, Walliams chimed in with the quip.
“I was at school with Keir Starmer,” he announced, adding: “And he gave me a detention and it was Christmas time and it was really cold and he turned off the heating.”
He followed up the statement by cracking up at his joke as an awkward silence swept the others.
His joke was in reference to Starmer’s government making cuts to the winter fuel allowance, which sparked outrage last year.
Jones simply turned towards Amfo as Walliams continued: “I did go to the same school as Keir Starmer, but actually we didn’t meet each other.
“And Fatboy Slim was there too. He was, yeah! He was doing the DJing and Keir was being the Prime Minister, I was acting the giddy goat.”
Predictably, it didn’t take long for viewers to take to social media to share a laugh at the awkward moment.
“Loved David’s dig at Keir Starmer. He’s clearly far too outspoken for the BBC. He’s probably next to be cancelled. #theoneshow #oneshow,” one penned on X.
“David Walliams said he went to the same school with keir starmer and was held in detention and turned off the heating as punishment…. HA HA HA HA! #TheOneShow,” a second remarked.
A third shared: “#TheOneShow producer panicking to think of a way to balance out Walliams’s Keir Starmer heating joke before the end of the show.”
“Watching the presenters on #TheOneShow totally not getting make a joke about going to school with Kier Starmer and giving them a detention and turning the heating off. Don’t [know] which was funnier,” another added.
“David Walliams, as hilarious as ever #theoneshow,” stated one more.
Some weren’t as pleased, with one person asking: “Why is David Walliams on my television? #OneShow #TheOneShow.” (sic)
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Walliams himself has been outspoken about cancel culture in the past, with the comic having been axed from the Britain’s Got Talent judging panel after comments he made on the show in 2020 came to light.
He and Lucas also fronted Little Britain, which aired from 2003 to 2006, and many have argued wouldn’t make it to screens now due to its controversial jokes.
The once-popular comedy show has in recent years been “cancelled” after some scenes were branded “racist” and offensive.
Speaking last year about plans for a new comedy, he shared on Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch’s Therapy Crouch podcast: “There are jokes in it that, I mean, are in terrible taste – I mean not in terrible taste – but, you know, like, like, Little Britain was, like Come Fly With Me, like a lot of comedy is, which is, on the edge.”