David Walliams' Nazi Salute Scandal Rocks BBC Christmas Special

Olivia Bennett, 6/13/2025David Walliams ignites controversy during the BBC's "Would I Lie to You?" Christmas special with two Nazi salutes, leaving the audience in shock. The incident prompts swift condemnation from the BBC, ensuring the segment won't air, sparking discussions on celebrity accountability.

The comedian — whose career has more ups and downs than a Hollywood marriage — turned what should've been a delightfully festive recording of BBC's "Would I Lie to You?" Christmas special into something that would make even Joan Rivers speechless. And trust me, that's saying something.

Picture this: Pinewood Studios, twinkling with holiday cheer, "Call the Midwife" star Helen George sharing a charming little anecdote about spraining her wrist from excessive waving during a Strictly tour. Rather wholesome, right? Enter Walliams, stage left, with all the sensitivity of a bull in Valentino's spring collection.

The 53-year-old former "Little Britain" star — apparently mistaking himself for a method actor in a particularly tasteless period piece — chose this moment to perform not one, but two Nazi salutes. The audience's gasps could've powered a wind farm, darling.

Times Radio producer Sebastian Topan, who had the misfortune of witnessing this trainwreck firsthand, described the atmosphere as having "an elephant in the room." More like a whole circus, if we're being honest. The remainder of the show apparently limped along like a supermodel in broken Louboutins — painful to watch and impossible to ignore.

Rob Brydon, bless his heart, tried to salvage the situation with the grace of a seasoned awards show host dealing with an unexpected wardrobe malfunction. His gentle reminder about the show's family-friendly holiday audience fell on deaf ears as Walliams — displaying all the wisdom of a reality show contestant on day one — doubled down with a second salute, this time accessorized with a crude sexual gesture. Because nothing says "deck the halls" quite like combining offensive historical references with playground vulgarity, right?

The BBC's response was faster than a publicist during a red carpet crisis. "The use of such an offensive gesture is completely unacceptable," they declared, while Banijay UK (owner of production company Zeppotron) ensured the segment would disappear faster than last season's micro-bangs trend.

In an entertainment landscape where even the slightest misstep becomes tomorrow's trending topic, Walliams' spectacular lack of judgment feels like wearing cargo shorts to the Met Gala — inexcusable and honestly, a bit desperate. It's giving very much "former A-lister trying to trend on X" energy, honey.

The silver lining? Holiday viewers will be spared this particular disaster, though the aftermath might linger longer than those regrettable celebrity couple tattoos we've seen throughout 2024. Sometimes, darling, the best performance is the one that never makes it to air.

Oh darling, just when we thought celebrity faux pas couldn't get more cringe-worthy in 2025, David Walliams has managed to outdo himself — and not in that fabulous, headline-grabbing way we usually love to dish about.The comedian — whose career has more ups and downs than a Hollywood marriage — turned what should've been a delightfully festive recording of BBC's "Would I Lie to You?" Christmas special into something that would make even Joan Rivers speechless. And trust me, that's saying something.Picture this: Pinewood Studios, twinkling with holiday cheer, "Call the Midwife" star Helen George sharing a charming little anecdote about spraining her wrist from excessive waving during a Strictly tour. Rather wholesome, right? Enter Walliams, stage left, with all the sensitivity of a bull in Valentino's spring collection.The 53-year-old former "Little Britain" star — apparently mistaking himself for a method actor in a particularly tasteless period piece — chose this moment to perform not one, but two Nazi salutes. The audience's gasps could've powered a wind farm, darling.Times Radio producer Sebastian Topan, who had the misfortune of witnessing this trainwreck firsthand, described the atmosphere as having "an elephant in the room." More like a whole circus, if we're being honest. The remainder of the show apparently limped along like a supermodel in broken Louboutins — painful to watch and impossible to ignore.Rob Brydon, bless his heart, tried to salvage the situation with the grace of a seasoned awards show host dealing with an unexpected wardrobe malfunction. His gentle reminder about the show's family-friendly holiday audience fell on deaf ears as Walliams — displaying all the wisdom of a reality show contestant on day one — doubled down with a second salute, this time accessorized with a crude sexual gesture. Because nothing says "deck the halls" quite like combining offensive historical references with playground vulgarity, right?The BBC's response was faster than a publicist during a red carpet crisis. "The use of such an offensive gesture is completely unacceptable," they declared, while Banijay UK (owner of production company Zeppotron) ensured the segment would disappear faster than last season's micro-bangs trend.In an entertainment landscape where even the slightest misstep becomes tomorrow's trending topic, Walliams' spectacular lack of judgment feels like wearing cargo shorts to the Met Gala — inexcusable and honestly, a bit desperate. It's giving very much "former A-lister trying to trend on X" energy, honey.The silver lining? Holiday viewers will be spared this particular disaster, though the aftermath might linger longer than those regrettable celebrity couple tattoos we've seen throughout 2024. Sometimes, darling, the best performance is the one that never makes it to air.