A three-year joint investigation by ITV News and the Guardian has accused comedian and author David Walliams of grooming teenage girls as young as 15 and behaving inappropriately towards women in the workplace. Walliams, who attempted to block publication with a High Court injunction, denies all allegations of criminal behaviour.
The investigation, which spoke to more than 100 people including over 30 sources with first-hand accounts, alleges that Walliams used his celebrity status to pursue young fans for sex. One woman, using the pseudonym Jade, described an alleged encounter when she was 15 as a 'sexual assault'. Another woman, Alex, said she first met Walliams at a fan event when she was 15 and later had a sexual relationship with him from the age of 17. She told the investigation: 'I think I was groomed. 100%.'
Walliams, 55, became a household name through the BBC sketch show Little Britain and wrote more than 20 children's books that have sold tens of millions of copies worldwide. He was a judge on Britain's Got Talent from 2012 until 2022, when he apologised for making 'disrespectful comments' about contestants during filming breaks that were leaked. In 2023, the show's producer Fremantle reached an 'amicable resolution' with Walliams after the remarks were published.
The investigation also detailed allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Walliams towards women at Britain's Got Talent and at his former publisher, HarperCollins. A 24-year-old employee said she overheard Walliams referring to her 'as the arse', which made her 'feel small and almost disembodied'. Walliams told the investigation he did not recall making the remark. A former employee alleged he found Walliams wearing only a towel in his dressing room while two 'very young' people were present. Walliams denied the allegation and described it as 'a smear'. HarperCollins dropped Walliams in December 2025 after an investigation into allegations he had 'harassed' young women, which he strongly denied. In September 2026, the publisher said it would no longer represent his back catalogue.
Walliams failed in a High Court bid to prevent publication of the allegations. His lawyers argued there was a risk he would take his own life after two previous suicide attempts. The judge, Mr Justice Matthew Nicklin, refused the injunction, ruling it would be an 'exceptionally serious interference' with freedom of expression. During the proceedings, Walliams was granted anonymity, which was lifted after his injunction bid was dismissed.
In a letter to journalists working on the 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 that he was devastated that some of the women he met 10 to 20 years ago had now expressed hurt or anger towards him. Lawyers acting for Walliams said he understood Alex to be 18 when they had sex and that the suggestion he groomed her is false. Walliams strongly denies having any sexual contact with Jade.
Downing Street described the allegations as 'deeply troubling'. The BBC said it was 'looking carefully at all material featuring and written by David Walliams on our platforms' and was removing some programmes, including Little Britain, while that review was under way. Walliams's literary agency, Independent Talent Group, said it was 'no longer representing him in any capacity'. The Labour Party is understood to have suspended his membership. Earlier this month, theme park Alton Towers permanently closed its World of David Walliams attraction. It said it was undertaking its annual planning process, which assesses elements of its attraction offering.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The allegations represent a high-profile test of how institutions respond to claims of grooming and power abuse by a celebrity with a long-running children's brand.
- Walliams's books and TV shows have reached millions of children; the fallout affects publishing, broadcasting, and theme park partnerships.
- The failed injunction attempt and subsequent publication may encourage other alleged victims to come forward and could set a legal precedent around the public interest defence.
Background
David Walliams, 55, rose to fame in the early 2000s on Little Britain, won multiple Baftas, and became a best-selling children's author often compared to Roald Dahl. He received an OBE in 2017 for services to charity and the arts. His career suffered a series of setbacks before this investigation: he left Britain's Got Talent in 2022 after making sexually explicit remarks about contestants, HarperCollins dropped him in 2025 over harassment allegations he denied, and Alton Towers closed its World of David Walliams attraction in November 2026. The Guardian and ITV News investigation began in 2023 and heard from dozens of sources over three years.
Key Perspectives
Alex (alleged victim): Says Walliams 'groomed' her from age 15 and that she was '100%' groomed. She said she 'never said no, but felt unable to say anything or have any control'.
Jade (alleged victim): Describes the alleged encounter as 'sexual assault' and 'grooming'. She said Walliams used his fame to get women, calling him 'disgusting' and 'a groomer'.
David Walliams: Denies all criminal allegations. Says he 'behaved thoughtlessly' but never abused his power. He states he is 'not a sexual predator' and 'has not broken the law'.
No 10 Downing Street: Called the allegations 'deeply troubling' and said the government would respond.
BBC: Stated it is 'looking carefully at all material featuring and written by David Walliams' and removing some programmes while a review is under way.
HarperCollins: Dropped Walliams in 2025, saying it takes 'employee wellbeing extremely seriously' and has processes for reporting concerns.
What to Watch
- Whether further women come forward with allegations following the publication.
- The outcome of the BBC's review of Walliams's content and any decision on his children's books on iPlayer.
- Potential civil or criminal investigations by police or regulatory bodies, given the criminal nature of some allegations.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 5 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe ITV News and Guardian investigation accused Walliams of preying on teenage girls, including girls as young as 15.STV News: “A three-year joint investigation by ITV News and the Guardian reveals allegations dating back to 2003 that David Walliams preyed on teenage girls and young women for sexual purposes.”
- SupportedWalliams says he is “not a sexual predator” and “has not broken the law”.The Independent UK: ““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.””
- SupportedWalliams denies all allegations of criminal behaviour.7NEWS: “Walliams denied all allegations, including any criminal behaviour, the ITV report says.”
- SupportedThe three-year investigation spoke to more than 100 people, including more than 30 sources with first-hand accounts.The Independent UK: “Over the following three years, journalists spoke to more than 100 people, including more than 30 sources with first-hand accounts, as well as former partners and colleagues.”
- SupportedJade described an alleged encounter with Walliams when she was 15 as a “sexual assault”.STV News: “Jade described what Walliams allegedly did to her when she was 15 as “grooming” and “a sexual assault”.”
- SupportedAlex said she met Walliams at 15 and later had a sexual relationship with him from the age of 17.STV News: “One says he began contacting her when she was 15, after meeting her at a Little Britain fan event, before starting a sexual relationship with her at 17.”
- SupportedAlex said, “I think I was groomed. 100%.”Nation.Cymru: “Asked how she feels about him now, she said: “I think I was groomed. 100%.””
- SupportedA 24-year-old employee said Walliams referred to her “as the arse”, making her “feel small and almost disembodied”.7NEWS: “A 24-year-old employee says she overheard Walliams referring to her “as the arse”, which made her “feel small and almost disembodied”.”
- SupportedWalliams told the investigation he did not recall making the remark about the employee.7NEWS: “Walliams told the investigation he did not recall making the remark.”
- SupportedA former employee alleged he found Walliams wearing only a towel while two “very young” people were present.7NEWS: “Another former employee alleged he was once called to Walliams’ dressing room and found him wearing only a towel after a shower while two “very young” people were present.”
- SupportedWalliams failed in a High Court bid to prevent publication of the allegations.RTÉ News: “Mr Justice Matthew Nicklin refused the bid for an injunction, ruling it would be an "exceptionally serious interference" with freedom of expression.”
- SupportedWalliams’s lawyers argued that there was a risk he would take his own life after two previous attempts.7NEWS: “Walliams unsuccessfully sought an injunction to prevent the media reports, with his lawyers arguing there was a risk he would take his own life after two previous attempts.”