David Walliams, a 55-year-old British comedian and children’s author known for the sketch show “Little Britain” and over 40 published books, has been accused of grooming teenage fans and sexually assaulting minors, according to joint investigations published by The Guardian newspaper and ITV News broadcaster.
Multiple women provided firsthand accounts of alleged misconduct spanning from approximately 10 to 20 years ago. One accuser, identified as “Jade,” alleged that Walliams contacted her through social media when she was 15 years old and subsequently invited her to his residence. Another accuser named “Alex” stated that she met Walliams when she was 15 and an aspiring comedy writer, and claimed they engaged in sexual conduct after she turned 17. Both women characterized their experiences as involving grooming tactics related to Walliams’s professional status and promises of career assistance.
Walliams has contested the allegations through his legal counsel, denying that he targeted teenagers or used his celebrity status to manipulate individuals into sexual activity. In a statement published by The Guardian, he acknowledged behaving “thoughtlessly” but asserted that he is “not a sexual predator” and has “not broken the law.” His lawyers disputed specific allegations, including denying sexual contact with one accuser and claiming Walliams believed another accuser was 18 years old at the time of their interactions.
Following the investigations, the BBC announced it would remove certain programs and conduct a comprehensive review of all content featuring or written by Walliams on its platforms. His publisher, HarperCollins, had previously terminated his contract after he faced separate allegations of harassment involving young female colleagues, which he denied. A UK High Court judge blocked Walliams’s attempt to obtain an injunction preventing the media outlets from identifying him in their reporting. According to court filings, Walliams’s legal team indicated he made suicide attempts after receiving letters from the publications seeking his response to the allegations and was subsequently admitted to hospital for psychiatric care.
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