David Walliams' social media accounts have drawn attention this week after he was identified as the celebrity who lost a High Court battle to prevent two media outlets from publishing claims against him. His Instagram feed, inactive since March, has been described as offering an eerie glimpse into his recent life.
Social Media Silence Since March
Walliams' most recent Instagram post was uploaded in March, where he wished his mum a "Happy Mother's Day" and shared a photo of them together with his Little Britain co-star, Matt Lucas. Since then, he has not shared anything, though several people had already noticed his apparent disappearance.
Comments left on his photos as early as December voiced concerns before the news officially emerged. One person posted: "You haven't posted in so long. I hope you're ok." Another seemed to suspect what might be happening behind the scenes, writing: "That's a super injunction. Sorry, autocorrect, I meant super photo."
Allegations and Fallout
This week, it came to light that Walliams, 55, allegedly abused his power and position for sexual purposes on multiple occasions with teenagers as young as 15 at the height of his fame. He denies any wrongdoing. He has been dropped by his literary agency, and the BBC is "in the process of removing" programmes including Little Britain.
Walliams, whose Little Britain series aired from 2003 to 2006, was identified as part of a probe by the Guardian and ITV News after he attempted to secure an injunction to block the reporting of claims. In a statement to the Guardian and ITV News, he said: "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."
Public Reactions and Denial
He added: "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. I am not a sexual predator... I have not broken the law... I am devastated that some of the women I met ten to twenty years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me."
Other comments on his social media included: "You're trending on Twitter again btw. We ALL know why," and "Almost time. Everything done in the dark will soon come to light." One person offered a more balanced view, posting: "If it is you they're talking about, please don't hurt yourself. Go through the process and tell your side. You still have fans out here that are hoping you will prove them all wrong. Think of your little boy."
