UK Edition
David Walliams 'furious' at OBE snub, claims Simon Cowell
David Walliams is "furious" that his Britain's Got Talent co-stars Ant and Dec have been awarded OBEs and he has not, Simon Cowell has said.
The TV stalwarts were given their accolades by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in January for services to broadcasting and entertainment.
Speaking ahead of Britain's Got Talent returning to screens this weekend for its 11th series, Cowell, the show's creator, said of Walliams: "He's furious."
Cowell quipped: "He's gone on an all-out assault this year to suck up to as many people as possible so that he can get there before me, and he probably will."
Ant agreed that Walliams is perhaps the most jealous of their OBE and that "everyone thinks he already has one" because of the large amount of charity work he has done over the years.
Judge Alesha Dixon joked that it would be a "nightmare" if Walliams was awarded an OBE.
She said: "I would say David's more jealous because he's super-competitive. When he won best judge at the National TV Awards, he reminded us of it every day.
"So can you imagine what would happen if he became an OBE? It would be a nightmare because he would make sure that we all knew, he'd probably wear the medal every single day just to rub it in our faces, just in case we forgot, because he's very competitive."
However, former Little Britain star Walliams joked that Cowell is "a bit peeved" that Ant and Dec, who have fronted Britain's Got Talent since it began in 2007, were given OBEs.
Walliams said: "Simon definitely thinks he should have a knighthood. I don't know why, I don't know what he thinks he's done. Maybe by just being famous for long enough.
"What he doesn't realise is you have to do something positive, you can't just spread evil and think that you'll get one. So I think he's a bit peeved about it.
"I think he thinks he was going to get one at one stage. Who knows, though it would be annoying to have to call him Sir Simon. I wouldn't like that, so I really hope it doesn't happen."
Cowell, Walliams and Dixon, together with fellow judge Amanda Holden, return to TV screens on Saturday for the series, which they have promised will be filled with emotional moments, plenty of talented youngsters, a 10ft robot and the show's youngest ever magician.
The programme's stars have cited the Missing People Choir, made up of people who have had somebody close to them reported as missing, as one of the most tear-jerking acts of the series and Cowell has said they might even win this year.
Ant described their audition as "very emotional", adding: "It was a hard watch and they played images of the missing people behind them on stage."
Cowell said: "They've got a shot at winning, I think. I remember on the day thinking that it was special."
Stephen Mulhern is returning as the host of ITV2 companion show Britain's Got More Talent for the 11th year.
For the first time in the show's history, the spin-off will be broadcast live as Mulhern meets the newly announced semi-finalists live in the studio.
Also returning are the golden buzzers, which each judge and presenters Ant and Dec can use just once to send one chosen act straight through to the semi-finals.
Following the pre-recorded audition shows, there will be a week of live semi-finals before the series concludes with the live grand finale.
The winner of the series will go on to win £250,000 and the opportunity to perform at this year's Royal Variety Performance.
Britain's Got Talent returns on Saturday April 15 at 8pm on ITV