Dan Walker has spoken publicly for the first time about the "terrible" three years he endured whilst battling allegations of bullying and sexism made by his former Channel 5 colleague Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije.
The 49-year-old presenter expressed relief that the ordeal had finally concluded, stating: "I'm glad it's over, and I'm not sure what I can or can't say, but if you're going to accuse somebody of that sort of thing, it's very important there's an element of truth to it."
Mr Walker, who had been preparing to defend himself at an employment tribunal in April, said he remains astonished the situation escalated as far as it did.
"If there's no truth, you haven't got any witnesses, and there's no evidence to back you up," he added to Mail Online.
Dan Walker has broken his silence on the withdrawn complaints for the first time
| GETTYThe former BBC Breakfast host revealed he received an extraordinary outpouring of support from within the television industry during the difficult period.
He claimed more than 100 colleagues voluntarily submitted character references on his behalf without being asked, he disclosed.
"I didn't even have to ask for character references," Mr Walker explained. "I had well over 100 people who wrote them anyway over a few days and sent them to me."
He ultimately submitted around 40 of these testimonials, though he said there were "hundreds I could have sent in, which will mean a lot to me until the day I die."
Dan Walker with former Channel 5 co-star Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije
|CHANNEL 5
The presenter described the experience as "incredibly stressful" but said his primary feeling now is gratitude that the matter has been resolved.
Channel 5, he noted, had been "incredibly" supportive throughout the process.
Mr Walker, who is open about his Christian faith, acknowledged that forgiveness is a central tenet of his beliefs but admitted he is finding it difficult to extend that grace to Ms Vanderpuije.
"I take my faith very seriously, and I think I believe fundamentally in forgiveness, and I'm working towards it," he said.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Dan Walker reached a last-minute settlement with Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije | GETTYHowever, he conceded that this particular situation presents a significant challenge.
"I don't sleep anyway but it will take me some time to get to forgiveness," the presenter added.
Mr Walker said he feels he has finally regained his mental equilibrium after the prolonged stress of the allegations.
"It's not nice when you're going through that, and I'm trying to find sort of, I feel like I'm back to where I am, and I've got my brain space back," he reflected.
The case was due to be heard at an employment tribunal in April, where Ms Vanderpuije had brought claims against Mr Walker, Channel 5 owner Paramount and ITN, which produces the news programme.
Mr Walker had amassed more than 50 character witness statements from prominent figures, including footballers, Olympians and BBC journalists, in preparation for the hearing.
However, following tense negotiations between legal teams, Ms Vanderpuije withdrew her claims against Mr Walker and reached a settlement with the two broadcasters.
The agreement was concluded without any admission of liability from any party.
Sources close to the case indicated the settlement was "significantly less" than the £4 million her lawyer Jonathan Coad had sought, having initially demanded £13 million from ITN and Paramount.
Mr Walker had been "completely exonerated" in a workplace investigation into "serious misconduct" in April 2024.