David Walliams, a British comedian and author, faces allegations from several women who claim he exploited his fame to pursue them at a young age, frequently for sexual purposes, as detailed in a three-year investigation by the Guardian and ITV News.
Additionally, Walliams has been accused of inappropriate conduct while working as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent for a decade, and at his previous publishing house, HarperCollins, which has since severed ties with him.
The comedian has denied these allegations. Earlier this year, his legal representatives sought an injunction from the U.K. High Court to prevent the Guardian and ITV News from disclosing the accusations and identifying him in their reports.
Last week, a judge dismissed his request for an injunction but maintained a temporary protection of his identity until late Monday.
With the case being dismissed, the allegations can now be made public. Walliams’s legal team expressed concerns that the release of these claims could lead him to contemplate suicide, as reported by the BBC.
A representative from the Metropolitan Police Service in London confirmed they are aware of the media allegations involving a man in his 50s, but they have not yet received any reports of sexual assault or related offenses.
The spokesperson mentioned that police have contacted the media organizations involved “to make sure potential victims who have been in touch can learn how to report any criminal allegations to the authorities.”
Lawyer Marcus Johnstone indicated that the likelihood of Walliams facing charges will depend on the nature of his alleged interactions with women who were under 16 at the time.
“Engaging with a 15-year-old is not inherently wrong. However, it becomes problematic if it involves sexual assault, grooming, or arranging sexual activities with a minor, which are all serious criminal offenses,” stated Johnstone, who is a senior solicitor and managing director at PCD Solicitors in the U.K.
Women claim Walliams groomed them
While most of the women assert they were over 18 during their encounters with Walliams, two have stated they were just 15 when they first met him.
One woman recounted to the Guardian and ITV News her meeting with Walliams in 2004 at a fan event when she was 15 and he was 32. At that time, he was starring in the popular BBC comedy Little Britain, and she aspired to become a comedy writer.
Matt Lucas, left, and Walliams, right — dressed as their characters Lou Todd and Andy Pipkin — signed copies of their comedy CD in January 2004. It was at such a fan event where one of Walliams’ accusers says she first met him. (Steve Finn/Getty Images)
She reported that Walliams referred to her as “a very attractive lady” and continuously stared at her. She handed him some scripts she had written along with her contact details, after which he allegedly called her at home.
During their conversation, she claims he complimented her scripts and suggested they keep in touch. She noted that her age was mentioned multiple times during the call.
As their communication progressed, she alleges the discussions turned sexual, with Walliams requesting nude photographs of her. By the time she was 17, she claims they engaged in consensual sex.
Walliams stated to the Guardian and ITV News that he does not recall asking for any such images and believed she was 18 when they had sex.
“That’s a significant offense, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years in England,” remarked Johnstone.
“If Walliams received a naked image from someone who was 17, 16, or 15, that could constitute separate sexual offenses involving minors, which would automatically place him on the sex offender registry.”
Walliams won a Pride of Britain Award in 2006 as the Most Influential Public Figure, after raising money for the charity campaign Sports Relief by swimming across the English Channel. (Ian Walton/Getty Images)
Another woman claims she encountered Walliams at the age of 15 after they connected on MySpace in 2007. She described a meet-up in London where they shared a kiss in an alleyway; she alleges he later engaged in sexual touching at his home and suggested reconnecting when she turned 16.
Walliams has denied any sexual contact with this second woman and asserts that he has never engaged in the grooming of young women.
Further allegations from other women also suggest that Walliams attempted to exploit them during vulnerable moments in their lives.
Claims of harassment at HarperCollins and Britain’s Got Talent
Walliams, who has published over 26 million children’s books in the U.K., including titles like Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy, was let go by HarperCollins in 2025. The publisher has since declared it will no longer publish his previous works.
Documents obtained by the Guardian and ITV News indicate that this decision stemmed from longstanding concerns, including accusations of an inappropriate sexual relationship with a young female staff member.
David Walliams has sold millions of copies of children’s books through the publisher HarperCollins, which has since dropped him. (Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)
Walliams gained fame as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent from 2012 until 2022, where he faced accusations of inviting underage girls as guests and harassing young female staff members.
In November 2022, he was recorded making offensive and sexual remarks about contestants. He has since exited the program.
Throughout this time, Walliams’s reported inclination towards dating younger women became a subject of humor for comedians across the U.K.
‘I am not a sexual predator’
Walliams maintains that he has done nothing wrong. In correspondence with journalists from the Guardian and ITV News covering this story, he stated: “I am not a sexual predator. I have not violated any laws, yet I am heartbroken that some women I encountered 10 to 20 years ago now express feelings of hurt or anger towards me.”
“I recognize that I have not always considered the feelings of others properly, which I regret. While a power imbalance is unavoidable when one party is famous, abusing that power is a completely different matter, one that I have never engaged in.”
Walliams had the chance to appeal the High Court’s ruling that permitted the Guardian and ITV News to release their findings, yet neither he nor his legal team pursued an appeal or requested additional time to do so.