Numerous women have accused British comedian and writer David Walliams of exploiting his fame to target them while they were young, frequently for sexual purposes, as revealed by a three-year investigation conducted by the Guardian and ITV News.
Additionally, Walliams faces allegations of inappropriate conduct during his tenure as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent for a decade, as well as at his previous publishing company HarperCollins, which has since severed ties with him.
Walliams has refuted these claims. Earlier this year, his legal representatives pursued a case in the U.K. High Court to prevent the Guardian and ITV News from disclosing the allegations and identifying him in their reports.
Last week, a judge dismissed his request for an injunction but kept his identity protected until late Monday.
With the dismissal of that case last week, the allegations could now be made public. According to a BBC report, Walliams’s legal team asserted that he would take his own life if these accusations were publicly disclosed.
A representative from the Metropolitan Police Service in London stated that they are aware of media allegations involving a man in his 50s but have not yet received any official reports regarding sexual assault or related crimes.
The spokesperson indicated that police have contacted the media organizations involved, “to ensure that any potential victims they have interviewed are informed about how to report any criminal allegations to the police.”
Attorney Marcus Johnstone mentioned that whether Walliams will face charges will likely depend on the nature of his alleged interactions with women who were under 16 at the time.
“Of course, there is nothing inappropriate in having contact with a 15-year-old. But there is if it involves sexual assault. There is if it’s grooming. There is if it’s facilitating sexual activity with a child—these are all potentially criminal offenses,” stated Johnstone, a senior solicitor and managing director of PCD Solicitors in the U.K.
Claims of Grooming by Women
While the majority of women reported being over 18 during their encounters with Walliams, two of them mentioned they were 15 when they first encountered him.
One woman recounted meeting 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 series 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)
At the event, she claims he referred to her as “a very attractive lady” and couldn’t stop gazing at her. She provided Walliams with some scripts she had written along with her contact details, after which he reportedly called her at home.
She alleges that he praised her scripts as very funny and suggested they should keep in touch. During their conversation, she states that her age was mentioned multiple times.
As their communication progressed, she says the discussions became sexual in nature, with Walliams allegedly requesting nude photographs of her. At the age of 17, she claims she and Walliams engaged in consensual sexual relations.
Walliams stated to the Guardian and ITV News that he does not recall asking for such images and believed she was 18 when they had sexual relations.
“That’s quite a serious offense. It carries up to 10 years in prison in England,” Johnstone remarked.
“So if Walliams has received a naked image from someone who is 17, 16, or 15, that may constitute separate sexual offenses involving minors, which would automatically categorize him as a sex offender.”
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 to have met Walliams at the age of 15 after they connected on the social platform MySpace in 2007. She states they arranged to meet in London, where they shared a kiss in an alleyway; she alleges that he later touched her inappropriately at his home and suggested reconnecting when she turned 16.
Walliams denies having any sexual interactions with this second woman and asserts he has never engaged in grooming young women.
Other women have also reported incidents where Walliams allegedly attempted to exploit them during vulnerable moments.
Reported Harassment at HarperCollins and Britain’s Got Talent
Walliams, who has sold over 26 million children’s books in the U.K., including titles like Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy, was dropped by his publisher HarperCollins in 2025. The company has also stated that it will cease to publish his previous works.
Documents acquired by the Guardian and ITV News suggest that this decision was influenced by long-standing concerns, including allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a young female employee.
David Walliams has sold millions of copies of children’s books through the publisher HarperCollins, which has since dropped him. (Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)
From 2012 to 2022, Walliams also gained recognition as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent. During this period, he faced accusations of inviting teenage girls as guests to the show and harassing young women employed there.
In November 2022, Walliams was recorded making derogatory and sexual remarks about contestants. He has since exited the show.
Throughout this time, Walliams’s alleged inclination to date younger women became a frequent subject of jokes among comedians in the U.K.
‘I am not a sexual predator’
Walliams maintains his innocence regarding any misconduct. In a letter addressed to journalists at the Guardian and ITV news working on this story, he stated: “I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am heartbroken that some women I encountered 10 to 20 years ago feel hurt or angry towards me.”
“I understand that I did not always consider people’s feelings adequately. That is something I regret. While a power imbalance is unavoidable when one party is well-known, abusing that power is entirely different, and I never did that.”
Walliams had the chance to challenge the High Court’s ruling that permitted the Guardian and ITV News to publish their findings, but neither he nor his legal team filed an appeal or sought additional time to do so.