Film Commissioner rehires David Walliams for fourth consecutive year amid spending secrecy

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici has allowed Film Commissioner Johann Grech to bring in, for the fourth consecutive year, his ‘friend’, British comedian David Walliams, to present this year’s multi-million-euro Mediterrane Film Festival.

In what government insiders consider proof of continuous arrogance and an affront to taxpayers, who in 2022 had to pay Walliams €120,000 to present a two-hour show (Malta Film Awards), Grech has again used state coffers for his return.

Asked by The Shift to state how much the latest Walliams visit to Malta has cost taxpayers and which Ministry or agency paid, both Minister Bonnici and Johann Grech have remained tight-lipped.

Grech, who, for some unknown reason, is allowed by Prime Minister Robert Abela to act as he pleases, is known to utilise various funds obtained from other government entities to evade and circumvent accountability and public procurement processes.

Last year’s scandal also involved Grech acting in a 10-minute short film, which he commissioned for €500,000.

At the time, now-sacked Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo insisted that he had told Grech not to repeat what he did.

Following Minister Owen Bonnici’s refusal to come clean on the costs of this year’s festival, The Shift has already filed a Freedom of Information request to obtain the information.

Grech has been allowed by the government to ignore accountability since the first edition of the festival, held in 2023.

While the British comedian presented the Malta Film Awards in 2022, he also hosted the 2023, 2024, and last week’s Mediterrane Film Festival.

So far, the government and Grech have refused to provide details on the millions spent, estimated to be between €4 and €5 million every year. Last year, it also coincided with former Minister Clayton Bartolo’s lavish wedding at the same venue.

Apart from the fees of the lavish gala night, for which hundreds of people, mostly friends of Grech and the Culture Minister are invited,  the Film Commissioner is allowed to splash millions on food, drinks, logistics, agents, journalists, actors, flights, transport, yachts, fireworks, stages, decorations and performers.

Apart from Walliams, Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja has also become a mainstay at the gala awards ceremony, with his fees, if any, also kept under wraps.

Last year, the Data Protection Commissioner upheld an FOI challenge by The Shift for a list of payments made on the 2023 edition. The data has not yet been released, as Grech filed an appeal to block the information.

Requests for the payments made in 2024 and 2025 are still pending.