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Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Gavin And Stacey star Rob Brydon reveals the embarrassing realisation he had while filming new Traitors-style travel show
Rob Brydon has revealed the embarrassing realisation he had while filming his new Traitors-style BBC travel show, Destination X. The Gavin And Stacey star, 60, is stepping into new territory as host of the ambitious reality series, which combines elements of The Traitors and Race Across The World. But while the premise is high-concept, Rob admitted that his biggest challenge came from something surprisingly simple - remembering how to walk as himself. Recalling walking on the set of Destination X, he told The Sun: 'My first scene, I am walking into an airport, and I'm thinking, "Right, OK, how am I going to be?". He continued: 'Because I've got a horrible walk. I walk like an ape. I walk side to side. So I'm thinking, "Try not to walk like an idiot".' 'It even occurred to me that I won't be sat behind a desk. I had to think, "How am I going to hold myself?".' Rob is best known for playing the loveable Bryn West on Gavin And Stacey and for sitting behind the panel on the BBC quiz show Would I Lie To You? - so standing up and leading a fast-paced, globetrotting series is new ground for him. Still, he soon found his rhythm on Destination X, which sees a group of strangers blindfolded at an airport, flown via helicopter, and then driven around Europe on a blacked-out bus. At each stop, they take on challenges to win clues about where in the world they are. At the end of each episode, they're asked one simple question: Where are we? The person whose guess is furthest off is eliminated. He also admitted that Claudia Winkleman's performance on The Traitors was a big influence, as her ability to steer a complex, strategic format helped convince him he could try something similar. While many actors might be wary of unscripted work, Rob said he enjoys the unpredictability and variety of presenting. He finds it refreshing - even if it means stepping outside his comfort zone. One contestant in particular made a big impression on him - a London taxi driver named Darren. Rob said it was touching how often he spoke about missing his wife and he could tell he was genuinely missing her. Over time, the cast's relationships evolve, but as the competition intensifies, so does the sense of mistrust. Each episode sees the players gathering in a map room on the bus to log their location guesses. The differences in their answers can be drastic, even though they all receive the same clues - leading to dramatic eliminations and second-guessing. Rob said it's fascinating to watch contestants convince themselves of the wrong answer, only to realise later how close they'd been. He admitted that trying something so different is a risk and that no show is guaranteed to be a hit - but he's hopeful the heart of Destination X will resonate with viewers, especially families looking for something they can watch together. As a father of five, Rob said he understands the value of TV that unites generations - and he hopes this show can become the kind of weekly event where everyone chips in with theories and guesses. He also touched on why Gavin and Stacey was so special, because families would sit down together to enjoy it, which is increasingly rare today. Looking ahead, Rob is hopeful of a second series or perhaps a celebrity spin-off. But he jokingly insisted on one condition for future seasons: they have to include a stop in Wales, a cheeky nod to the beloved Gavin and Stacey location of Barry Island. Destination X airs Wednesday, July 30 and Thursday, July 31 at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
The Sun
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Inside Rob Brydon's huge new Traitors-style travel reality show as Gavin and Stacey star reveals major struggle
WHEN Rob Brydon reached his 60th birthday with two of TV's biggest hits under his belt, he could have easily put his feet up. Instead, the star of Would I Lie To You? and Gavin & Stacey hit the road and is taking a risk by fronting the BBC's new challenge show, Destination X. 7 7 And he relishes the challenge — as it might give him the chance to show he's not just Stacey's Uncle Bryn. Rob, who turned 60 in May, said: 'People always ask me about Gavin & Stacey. Some people know me for Would I Lie To You? But I've never done anything like this. 'Having something new and exciting and different is just a delight. I'm taking a chance on something I haven't done before.' After 18 years as Uncle Bryn and 16 years hosting the BBC quiz show, it's no surprise Rob was keen to get his teeth into something new. His latest project Destination X is a promising cross between The Traitors and Race Across The World, which each command six million viewers. But there was one hitch. Rob is so used to being seated on his quiz show and playing a character on Gavin & Stacey that he had forgotten how he walks as himself. Recalling walking on to the set of Destination X, he said: 'My first scene, I am walking into an airport, and I'm thinking, 'Right, OK, how am I going to be?' 'Because I've got a horrible walk. I walk like an ape. I walk side to side. So I'm thinking, 'Try not to walk like an idiot'. 'It even occurred to me that I won't be sat behind a desk. I had to think, 'How am I going to hold myself?'' Gavin and Stacey's Rob Brydon admits he was 'moved to tears' after getting first glimpse at script for final ever episode But Rob swiftly found his feet on the thrilling new show, which travels the length and breadth of Europe. Destination X introduces a group of travellers to each other at an airport before they are blindfolded and taken on a disorientating helicopter ride. They then board a blacked-out bus that travels to a few hotspots where the travellers take on challenges to try to win clues. 7 At the end of each episode they are asked one simple question: Where in the world are we? The straightforward premise has helped the show become a huge hit in the US and Belgium. Rob is in charge of the jaunt and has revelled in the role. He said: 'I genuinely love the variety of my career. I like it all. "It's possible some people who act wouldn't be comfortable presenting. 'You would be surprised how many actors wouldn't like it if you told them that they were go- ing to do something with no script. 'But I love all those things. 'Ultimately, having a live audience is my favourite. 'Sometimes with Destination X I would say a funny line and they would laugh and that's an audience. 'I wanted to have the interaction with the players. 'That's something I looked forward to.' Claudia has a lightness of touch. I think she judges it just right. You feel like you're with a really good friend who is allowing you into this world It is perhaps unsurprising that given the similarities of the show to BBC mega-hit Traitors, Rob looked to Claudia Winkleman when he was considering whether to take the job. She has made a huge success of the murder mystery game — and Destination X contains the same elements of strategy and manipulation. Rob said: 'I watched the Belgian version and I thought, with some tweaks, I could see myself in that role. I was intrigued. 'Claudia has a lightness of touch. I think she judges it just right. She doesn't force herself to the front. "She is there as a conduit, as a bridge with the viewer and you feel like you're with a really good friend who is allowing you into this world. "I wanted to be a pleasant way to bring people into the show with a nice comment here and there. 'The Traitors was one of the big reasons I wanted to do Destination X. I could see similarities.' Just like the cast at the heart of The Traitors and Race Across The World, normal folk are the stars. 7 7 'Strong characters' Guessing along with the contestants as they gather clues — and red herrings — is irresistible. Rob, who begins the show in a suave pilot's uniform, clearly took to one of the contestants, wisecracking London cabbie Darren. He said: 'Darren mentions his wife — you hear quite a bit about her. "Bless him, he gets quite choked up when he talks about her. He was really missing her. It was genuine. It wasn't forced. Rob added: 'They are all very strong characters. They developed as they went along, the relationships. 'You enjoy seeing people come out of their shell and then the distrust starts. They start saying, 'We're a team'. But that can't last.' At the end of each episode, the players lock themselves in the bus's map room where they have to plant an X on a map to log their guess. In the first episode alone, the hunches vary wildly despite them all being fed the same information. The person whose guess is furthest from the true destination is booted off the bus and sent home. Rob said: 'Throughout the series they'll think they're somewhere and then they'll talk themselves out of it. 'The map room bits were so enjoyable. 'We were round the monitors watching them make the decisions. Certain shows have become valuable to people of a certain age who want their family together. That's what was special about the Gavin & Stacey Xmas special "Doubt would enter their mind. Sometimes it was a tiny amount. 'Someone will have gone out because they were 3km out!' Rob is aware he is stepping out of his comfort zone and might end up with his first flop. But he's hopeful the pure heart of the show will win through and land fans among families. He said: 'You never know with any TV show, with any theatre show, film, how it's going to do. 'You'd have to be detached from reality to now have your fingers crossed and hope that people respond to it. 'For the family' 'You have to have word of mouth. If you hear enough, you might go, 'I'll give it a try'. 'What I love about this show is that it's for the family. I love shows that you can sit and watch, like we watch The Traitors as a family. 'It's the same with Race Across The World. We think, 'Yeah, let's all watch it together'. That's why I'm proud of Would I Lie To You? 'The humour is sharp and clever but you can watch it with your family. 'I hope Destination X becomes appointment viewing for a family and everyone will be chipping in and arguing about it.' Rob, who is a dad of five, added: 'If you're anything like me as a parent, you're desperate for the stuff that can get the kids to watch something with you. 'Those shows have become very valuable to people of a certain age who want their family together. 'The kids get older and everybody is told, 'Oh, they're not going to want to be with you'. 'You think, 'We'll be different'. But sure enough, that happens. 'That's what was special about the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special. "Getting people to all sit down and watch the same show is so hard to do.' It is clear the programme has all the ingredients to become Rob's third hit — and he is already hopeful of a second series or perhaps a celebrity spin-off. But he has one condition for BBC bosses. Rob added with a laugh: 'I've said I'll only do it if we go to Wales.' Barry Island, presumably?
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC Apologises After David Walliams' Nazi Salute During Would I Lie To You? Taping
The BBC has apologised for David Walliams' 'unacceptable' behaviour during a recent taping of a Would I Lie To You? special. Earlier this week, the former Little Britain star was a guest on the pre-recorded Christmas special of the popular BBC panel show. During the recording, fellow guest Helen George attempted to convince her opponents that she once injured herself while waving on the official Strictly Come Dancing tour. As she demonstrated the wave that supposedly caused the injury, BBC News reported that David joined with increasingly exaggerated hand gestures, eventually culminating in him performing a Nazi salute. They also claimed that at one point he performed a Nazi salute with one hand and a sexual gesture with the other. One audience member told BBC News: 'The atmosphere was uncomfortable and weird. I think Rob Brydon wanted to get past it as quickly as he could. 'David Walliams' teammates looked unsure what to do and were not laughing... It was like an elephant in the room after that as the incident was early on in the recording and so the remainder of the show felt weird.' A spokesperson for the broadcaster later said: 'The use of such an offensive gesture is completely unacceptable and we apologise to all at the recording for the offence caused.' Meanwhile, a representative for Banijay – the production company who makes Would I Lie To You? – also issued an apology, insisting: 'Any attempt at humour regarding this deeply offensive gesture, whether broadcast or not, is completely unacceptable in any context. 'It was immediately acknowledged during the recording that this segment would not be broadcast under any circumstances and we apologise to those who were at the recording for any offence caused.' HuffPost UK has also contacted David Walliams' team for comment. BBC News noted that David has made only a handful of terrestrial TV appearances in recent history, following his departure from Britain's Got Talent in 2022 after 10 years on the panel. David's exit came after recordings of him making disparaging and sexually explicit remarks about numerous BGT hopefuls on the set of the show in 2020, for which he later apologised, were leaked to the press. David Walliams Reaches Settlement With Production Company Behind Britain's Got Talent Simon Cowell Breaks Silence On David Walliams' 'Completely Unacceptable' Comments That Led To BGT Exit Matt Lucas Sets The Record Straight After Reports About 'New Series' Of Little Britain
Metro
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
BBC apologises after David Walliams makes ‘completely unacceptable' Nazi salutes
The BBC has apologised after comedian David Walliams gave two Nazi salutes in front of a live audience. The incident took place during a taping of the Christmas special for panel show Would I Lie To You, with The Times claiming the Little Britain star, 53, made the grossly offensive gesture not once but twice. The salutes occurred while Walliams's teammate – Call the Midwife actress Helen George – who was recalling the time she sprained her wrist during the Strictly Come Dancing tour in 2015 'from waving too much'. As she tried to convince David Mitchell's team that the anecdote was true, she started re-enacting the waving, which is when Walliams joined in with his own exaggerated flailing, resulting in the Nazi salute. After being reprimanded by the host, Rob Brydon, the filming moved on but as lewd jokes were swapped, Walliams then repeated the action but this time with a 'sexual twist'. Per The Times, one audience member said: 'It was all very weird. There were gasps from the audience, and the other panellists all looked very uncomfortable.' Another X user, @mirrandaYC added: 'Didn't have david walliams doing a Nazi salute at the Would I Lie To You Christmas taping on my 2025 bingo card.' Sources at the BBC and the show's production company, Zeppotron told the publication that there was no chance of the footage being broadcast. Facebook user Alan Robert Booth called him an 'entitled idiot'. A BBC spokesperson apologised to those present, saying: 'The use of such an offensive gesture is completely unacceptable and we apologise to all at the recording for the offence caused.' This has been echoed by Banijay UK (Zeppotron's owner) who added: 'Any attempt at humour regarding this deeply offensive gesture, whether broadcast or not, is completely unacceptable in any context. 'It was immediately acknowledged during the recording that this segment would not be broadcast under any circumstances and we apologise to those who were at the recording for any offence caused.' It is the latest incident in a career filled with controversy. The former Britain's Got Talent judge was removed from his role in 2022 after leaked recordings showed him making offensive remarks about the contestants. Meanwhile, his tenure on the comedy series co-created with Matt Lucas, Little Britain, has faced mounting criticism for its depiction of certain characters branded 'explicitly racist' such as the use of blackface. Nevertheless, despite the show's controversial sketches, it has found a new audience on TikTok with clips regularly going viral among the Gen Z audience for its dark humour. In 2023, after rumours of a reboot, Lucas shut down the idea saying that it was simply 'not true'. The co-creators do have a podcast together, Making A Scene, where they 'turn their famous friends' lives into cinematic masterpieces.' In 2024, the children's author called cancel culture 'exhausting'. '[The issue] is complicated, but you just look at each joke as it comes really. 'Obviously if you were worried about every single thing you said or did might offend someone, that you wouldn't be able to say or do anything on stage. More Trending 'I kind of think people haven't lost a sense of humour in the way that it's often portrayed,' he told The Daily Telegraph at the time. He is not the first high-profile figure to be embroiled in a Nazi salute controversy this year. Elon Musk faced backlash after making a movement that resembled the salute in January. However, he firmly denied that the gesture he made was the one historically linked to German fascism. View More » Metro has reached out to David Walliams' representative and the BBC for comment. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: I don't want to see David Walliams on TV again after Nazi salutes MORE: 44 of the best last-minute Father's Day gifts for every kind of dad, stepdad or grandad MORE: Samurai sword killer 'screamed in delight' after nearly decapitating schoolboy
Metro
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
I don't want to see David Walliams on TV again after Nazi salutes
I can't believe I'm having to say this, but Nazi salutes are not funny. This week, David Walliams, the comedian once renowned for Little Britain and as a ubiquitous judge on Britain's Got Talent, made two Nazi salutes while filming a comedy show, a Christmas special of Would I Lie To You for the BBC. The story, revealed by The Times, was a wholly humiliating and thoroughly embarrassing act. Call the Midwife actress and Walliams' teammate on the show, Helen George, was telling a tale about spraining her wrist after waving too much on the Strictly Come Dancing tour, before demonstrating the wave. That's when Walliams 'joined in with increasingly vigorous waves, culminating in him holding his arm out in a Nazi salute'. He then repeated it, with a 'sexual twist', essentially mocking its brutal origins. Audience members reportedly gasped, fellow panellists looked uncomfortable, and the host, Rob Brydon, was forced to reprimand him. The BBC has since confirmed the footage will never air, calling the gesture 'completely unacceptable,' and the production company quickly repeated those sentiments. To put it simply: I believe he has crossed a line. So he must be shunned from our screens. Walliams has been treading a tightrope of controversy for decades, with a pattern of behaviour that must ultimately be held to account. His comedy – particularly Little Britain – has been rightly criticised for racist stand-up and blackface. Something once celebrated as being edgy or irreverent now just exists as an embarrassing reminder of how the entertainment business once had so much less to answer for in terms of its power. Both Walliams and Lucas have since apologised for these portrayals, stating they regretted playing 'characters of other races', adding: 'we want to make it clear that it was wrong and we are very sorry.' In more recent times, Walliams stepped down from being a judge on Britain's Got Talent after tapes were released in which he made 'disrespectful comments' about contestants on the show. He apologised at the time, explaining they were private conversations that were 'never intended to be shared' but that he was 'sorry' nevertheless. And who can forget, HarperCollins – the publisher of his book, The World's Worst Children – removed a short story about a Chinese character called Brian Wong after accusations of 'casual racism'. As far as I can see, Walliams didn't apologise for this, but the publisher said: 'In consultation with our author and illustrator [Tony Ross] we can confirm that a new story will be written to replace 'Brian Wong'.' Quite a list. So when Walliams does a Nazi salute, even when it was an attempt at humour – a symbol of hate, genocide, and oppression – it isn't just a bad taste and off-colour remark. In my view, it's the record of someone who has repeatedly failed to listen or to know boundaries, after facing repercussions previously. And as far as I can see, he hasn't apologised or even addressed this latest controversy yet. It's not 'cancel culture' – as Walliams himself contended last year, calling it 'exhausting' – no, it's a matter of responsibility. It's about the obligation that comes with having a public voice and the very real consequences of downplaying serious wrongdoings. Bigger picture counts too. Globally, populism on the far-right is increasing, while fascist imagery and language are slowly reasserting themselves in popular culture. So a celebrity performing an offhand Nazi salute – even in what looks like a lighthearted setting and from someone who is not racist – is not an innocent nostalgic gesture or a misguided effort at humour. In my view, it's hate normalisation. In my opinion, Walliams' faux pas are a sure sign that he must be blacklisted on TV. It is not a matter of censoring comedy or stifling free speech, but more of not giving a forum to one who has violated the social line of decency and decorum. The BBC refusing to air the video was right, but not far enough. Walliams must not have access to the same forums that made him famous until he shows genuine accountability and respect to marginalised communities in Britain. It's not a witch hunt or social media outrage-driven over response. It's a call for standards – ones that I believe Walliams has repeatedly fallen short of. By continuing to grant him airtime, broadcasters send the message that his behaviour is acceptable as long as the perpetrator is a big enough name. More Trending Blacklisting David Walliams would be an absolute, necessary step towards sending the message that this kind of behavior is not going to be tolerated. It's about protecting the cultural topography from people who would belittle and hate others. If the BBC and other broadcasters who work with Walliams can commit – if they haven't already – to not including him on TV, radio, or any other media appearances in the future, the world would be much better off. It's about standing together with people who are targeted by these kinds of words and actions. And it's about getting the record straight that being 'funny' is no excuse for causing hurt or being hateful. View More » The time for excuses is over. The show has come to a close. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: The Ballymena riots are nothing to do with protecting women MORE: Brat summer is back: From tennis to the Euros to the Rugby World Cup, just watch as sporting queens go centre stage MORE: Doctor Who fans are convinced the show is dying – but they're wrong
