David Walliams has denied being a "sexual predator" after he was named as the celebrity who tried to block media publication of sexual misconduct allegations against him. Multiple women have accused the author and TV star of sexual misconduct, including when they were teenagers.
Walliams was identified as part of an investigation by the Guardian and ITV News on Tuesday, over his alleged "abuse of power and status" to contact young women and try to engage in "inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities". One woman described her alleged encounter with Walliams, when she was 15, as a "sexual assault". Multiple women accuse Walliams of "grooming" them when they were teenagers.
Walliams' response to allegations
Walliams denies any wrongdoing. In a letter addressed to journalists working on the ITV and Guardian investigation, Walliams 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."
Allegations from women
Several sources alleged inappropriate behaviour towards women at both the prime-time show Britain's Got Talent (BGT), where Walliams served as a judge, and his publisher HarperCollins. One woman, named by ITV and the Guardian as Jade, said she was 15 and Walliams was 36 when they met in August 2007 and he invited her back to his house.
She said she considers what she says happened to her there to have been "sexual assault" and "grooming", adding: "It's completely wrong in every way."
Another woman, named by the news organisations as Alex, alleged she was having sex with Walliams by the time she was 17. 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. His lawyers say the suggestion he groomed Alex is false and has caused him significant distress.
Legal action and context
Walliams, 55, brought legal action against Independent Television News (ITN) and Guardian News and Media (GNM), publisher of The Guardian, ahead of the two organisations reporting allegations against him, including of sexual misconduct and potential criminal activity. Lawyers for the media organisations previously told the High Court in London the allegations involved Walliams' alleged "abuse of power and status" to contact young women and try to engage in "inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities".
Walliams denied the claims and unsuccessfully sought an injunction to prevent these publications because of the risk he would take his own life, after two previous suicide attempts. The author was granted anonymity during the proceedings, which was lifted after his injunction bid was dismissed and GNM and ITN published their investigations on Tuesday.
During a two-day trial in October, the court was told by the media organisations' lawyers that the allegations were gathered after "a wide-ranging and rigorous investigation" and that there was a "strong" public interest in publishing them.
Gavin Millar KC said that reporters from the media organisations had spoken to more than 100 people, including more than 30 sources with first-hand accounts as well as Walliams' friends and colleagues. Walliams' lawyers said that he had initially attempted suicide after receiving letters from ITN and GNM asking for his reply to the allegations, because of "long-term trauma and the fear of trial by media".
The former Britain's Got Talent judge, known for appearing in comedy shows including Come Fly With Me and Little Britain alongside Matt Lucas, has sold more than 60 million copies of his children's books globally. They include The Boy In The Dress, Fing, and Gangsta Granny, the latter of which was turned into a one-hour BBC special in 2013, followed by a sequel starring Sheridan Smith in 2022.
Walliams' book publisher HarperCollins dropped him in December 2025, after an investigation into allegations he had "harassed" young women, which Walliams strongly denied. Earlier this month, theme park Alton Towers permanently closed its World Of David Walliams attraction, which featured rides inspired by the books.
Walliams left Britain's Got Talent in 2022 after he apologised for making "disrespectful comments" about auditioning contestants during filming breaks in January 2020 at the London Palladium. In 2023, Britain's Got Talent producer Fremantle apologised and reached an "amicable resolution" with Walliams after the remarks he made while on the show were leaked.
For confidential support from volunteers, including for suicidal thoughts, Samaritans can be contacted free, on 116 123 or by email to jo@samaritans.org. In the North East, If U Care Share Foundation supports those bereaved by suicide and works towards suicide prevention. Anyone experiencing mental health problems should also contact their GP for help.
