Piers Morgan branded David Walliams "one of the nastiest frauds in TV" in 2022, before the latest accusations against the former Little Britain star emerged. The comedian, 55, is the subject of a joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News that has seen him accused of allegedly using his status as a celebrity to prey on vulnerable teenagers and young women for sex. He has denied all of the claims, saying: "I am not a sexual predator... I have not broken the law."
Morgan's Previous Criticism
In the years before the latest allegations, Piers was not afraid to speak his mind. In 2022, David left his judging post on Britain's Got Talent after a decade after it emerged that he had allegedly made rude comments about the auditionees two years earlier. According to The Guardian, he called one contestant "c***" three times before claiming that one woman was like the "slightly boring girl you meet in the pub that thinks you want to f*** them, but you don't."
In 2020, Piers, who served as a judge himself on earlier series of BGT, told the Sunday Mirror: "I do have conversations with BGT every now and again, particularly after Simon had his injury. But I couldn't work with Walliams. I think he is a duplicitous, treacherous, piece of work. I will come back to BGT if the money is right and if they guarantee Walliams gets fired. I might even make it a contractual clause that I get to be the one who tells him he is fired."
Walliams' Apology and BGT Response
At the time of the initial scandal that led to his departure from BGT, David said in a statement: "I would like to apologise to the people I made disrespectful comments about during breaks in filming for Britain's Got Talent in 2020. These were private conversations and – like most conversations with friends – were never intended to be shared. Nevertheless, I am sorry."
Bosses of Britain's Got Talent have today urged people who "feel they've been the subject of wrongdoing" to speak up in the wake of the Walliams documentary. A spokesperson for Fremantle UK who make BGT told Deadline: "We are disturbed and concerned at these serious allegations. David Walliams has not been a judge on Britain's Got Talent for more than four years. During his time on the show and in the intervening period, no complaint was ever made regarding his behaviour to Fremantle UK. If anyone feels they have been the subject of any impropriety or wrongdoing by anyone on any Fremantle or associated labels' productions, we encourage them to come forward. We will treat any complaints seriously. Protecting the welfare of our employees, freelancers, contributors and fans has always been and absolutely remains paramount for the company."
Allegations in the Investigation
In the investigation, a woman identified as Alex claims Walliams first began contacting her when she was 15, after meeting her at a Little Britain fan event, and alleges they started a sexual relationship when she was 17. Asked how she feels about him now, she said: "I think I was groomed. 100%." Alex says she sent him some recent pictures of herself when she was 17, though claimed she was old enough to drink. She says he asked for more pictures and when she said what her evening plans were, he allegedly replied: "You in the bath is a nice thought." She responded: "Hmm.. You in the bath with me is a nicer thought… hehe…"
She said: "He was asking for photos and at first I would send photos of my face and then it was photos of my underwear and then he would put a lot of pressure on me, telling me how to pose and then I would actually be naked. He was asking me to do things I had not done before and there was that imbalance."
Another accuser, who is named as Jade in the joint investigation, alleges she was sexually assaulted by Walliams when she was 15. The TV star, now 55, contacted her online via MySpace, where her age was visible, and then after exchanging some emails Jade says they then met in a cafe in London before the comedian drove her to his home. She claims: "He lifted my top up and sucked on my breast and then tried to put my hand down his trousers. That's when I pulled away and said 'no'. 'I wasn't ready for sex. I didn't want to do that, with him or with anyone. I didn't want to be touched in that way at all. I mean, I was only a 15-year-old."
Walliams was 36 at the time and Jade says even though it was a long time ago, the experience has stayed with her for the last 19 years. Jade told the investigation: "I struggle with it sometimes – if I think about it a bit too much, about the reality of what happened." She added in her claims: "It's a sexual assault. It's grooming. It's completely wrong in every way."
Walliams' Response
Walliams strongly denies that he had any sexual contact with Jade. He says he rejects any allegations of criminal activity and says he has never engaged in the grooming of young women. He sent a letter to journalists working on this investigation and wrote: "Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with. I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret. And whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did." He added: "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."
