Home · Entertainment · Nov 10 archive
David Walliams Accused of Sexual Misconduct with Teenagers
Confirmed
In Short: British entertainer David Walliams faces multiple allegations of sexual misconduct with teenagers and young women.
David Walliams (6745348487).
David Walliams accused of targeting teens as young as 15. ITV News
British children's author and comedian David Walliams is facing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct with teenagers and young women, according to a joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News.
The investigation, which spanned three years, revealed allegations dating back to 2003. One woman alleged that Walliams began contacting her when she was 15 after meeting her at a Little Britain fan event, and that he started a sexual relationship with her at the age of 17.
Multiple women have accused Walliams of grooming them when they were teenagers, with one describing her encounter with him at 15 as a 'sexual assault'. Walliams has denied all allegations, stating, 'I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me.'
ITG, Walliams' talent agency, has severed ties with him, with a spokesperson saying, 'ITG is deeply disturbed by the allegations concerning David Walliams. Our thoughts are with anyone who has been affected. We are no longer representing him in any capacity.'
Walliams has published over 40 children’s books and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide, according to his website. He stepped down from Britain’s Got Talent in 2022 after a leaked recording revealed him making derogatory and sexually explicit comments about contestants.
The High Court in London was told that the allegations involved Walliam’s alleged 'abuse of power and status' to contact young women and try to engage in 'inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities'.
Walliams has denied abusing his power as a celebrity in relationships with women but acknowledged that he had 'behaved thoughtlessly'.
The Guardian and ITV News spoke to more than 100 people, including more than 30 sources with first-hand accounts, as well as Walliams’ friends and colleagues.
One woman, named as Jade, said she was 15 and Walliams was 36 when they met in August 2007 and he invited her back to his house.
Walliams has issued a letter in response to the allegations, stating that the matters are 'capable of making a significant contribution to public debate.'
What's confirmed
- One woman alleged Walliams began contacting her when she was 15 after meeting her at a Little Britain fan event, before starting a sexual relationship with her at the age of 17, ITV News reported.
- The three-year joint investigation revealed a number of allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to 2003.
- The Little Britain and Britain's Got Talent star has been accused of preying on teenage girls and young women for sexual purposes.
- Among the allegations, which date back to 2003, multiple women accused Walliams, 55, of grooming them when they were teenagers, while one woman described her alleged encounter with Walliams at 15 years old as a "sexual assault".
- Multiple other women have accused the TV personality of “grooming” them when they were teenagers, according to the investigation.
- During a two-day trial in late October, the High Court in London was told by lawyers for the media organisations that the allegations they wanted to report involved Walliam’s alleged “abuse of power and status” to contact young women and try to engage in “inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities”.
- David Walliams has been revealed as the mystery celebrity who tried to block publication of sexual misconduct allegations.
What's still developing
- ITG agent Stevens was responsible for brokering Walliams’ long and lucrative partnership with HarperCollins, which published books including The Boy in the Dress and Gangsta Granny.
- Asked how she feels about him now, she said: ‘I think I was groomed. 100%.’ Walliams told the publications he believed she was 18 at the time they had sex.
- Both Walliams and Lucas apologised for their use of blackface in the shows, calling it “wrong” in 2020, with Lucas also describing the comedy in the series as “cruel”.
Sources
- AOL.co.uklink
- Deadlinelink
- Digital Spylink
- Film-News.co.uklink
- London Evening Standardlink
- Metro.co.uklink
- The Heraldlink
- The Hollywood Reporterlink
- UNILADlink
- WTOP Newslink
- hungamaexpress.comlink
- Expressandstarlink
- Shropshirestarlink
- Belfasttelegraphlink
- Newsweeklink
- ITV News — video link
- Daily Record — video link
- From The Newsroom — video link
- The Julia Hartley-Brewer Show on Talk — video link
- The London Standard — video link
- Beckie Bee — video link