David Walliams has been accused of sexual misconduct by several women, including allegations of grooming involving a 15-year-old, after the British entertainer lost a legal bid to block publication of the claims. The Guardian and ITV News published the allegations Tuesday following a three-year joint investigation. Walliams's agent has dropped him, and the BBC removed his sketch comedy series Little Britain from its streaming service.
The allegations include claims from two women who say they first met Walliams when they were 15. One woman alleged she met him at a fan event in 2004 and that they later had sex when she was 17, which she now characterizes as grooming. Another woman alleged she met Walliams at a café in 2007 when she was 15, and that he later kissed her, lifted her shirt, and committed what she now describes as a sexual assault. Additional women accused Walliams of inappropriate behavior at Britain's Got Talent, including invitations to his dressing room, and alleged he pursued relationships with junior employees at publisher HarperCollins.
In a letter to journalists, Walliams said he is not a sexual predator and has not broken the law. He acknowledged behaving thoughtlessly in casual sexual relationships and said he regretted not taking people's feelings into account. He denied grooming or sexually harassing anyone and said he is devastated that some women he met 10 to 20 years ago have expressed hurt or anger. Walliams denied having sexual contact with the woman who alleged assault at age 15 and said he believed another woman was 18 when they had sex.
Walliams, 55, had brought legal action against ITV News and the Guardian to prevent publication, with his lawyers arguing it would be highly likely to lead him to kill himself. A High Court judge rejected the injunction request last week. Following publication, HarperCollins announced it was dropping Walliams as an author and would no longer publish his backlist. Sky also said it was dropping an upcoming adaptation of one of his books and removing his content from its platforms. The Metropolitan Police said it has contacted the news organizations to ensure potential victims are aware of how to report criminal allegations.