The Guardian’s investigations team has named comedian, television presenter and children’s author David Walliams as the subject of allegations that he used his position and celebrity status to pursue young women and teenagers for sexual purposes. The investigation involved interviews with multiple women, with allegations spanning approximately two decades. According to the reporting, some accusers were 15 years old when they say Walliams began pursuing them.
Williams built a prominent career as the creator of the BBC sketch show Little Britain and later worked as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, an actor, and a prolific author of children’s books. He cultivated a family-friendly public image through charity work, including swimming the Channel in 2006, which earned him recognition as Britain’s most inspiring public figure. He received an OBE in 2017. However, persistent rumors circulated regarding his conduct with women. In November 2022, he was dropped from Britain’s Got Talent following a hot microphone incident in which he made derogatory remarks about contestants. In December of last year, his publisher HarperCollins dropped him following allegations of harassment toward junior female employees, which Walliams denied.
The Guardian and ITV News conducted their joint investigation over several years, speaking with more than 100 people. One accuser stated Walliams pursued her after she attended a fan event at age 15 and that they engaged in sexual activity by age 17. Another alleged contact via social media when she was 15 and accused him of later sexually assaulting her. A third recounted being warned at a party at Walliams’ home when she was young to “be careful” due to her age.
Walliams’ legal team sought an injunction to prevent publication of the allegations, arguing that doing so would pose serious risk to his health and safety. According to the reporting, Walliams was hospitalized after learning of the investigation’s findings and made at least one suicide attempt. His lawyers stated he never engaged in grooming and denied all allegations of criminal conduct. Walliams issued a statement saying he is “not a sexual predator” and has “not broken the law” but expressed devastation that women he met years ago have expressed hurt or anger toward him.
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