Comedian and author David Walliams faces multiple allegations of preying on teenage girls and young women for sexual purposes, according to a three-year joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News.
Women Allege Walliams Groomed and Targeted Them
- Multiple women allege that Walliams used his celebrity status and power to groom and target them when they were teenagers or young women, with some encounters beginning when the complainants were 15 years old. One woman described her alleged encounter with Walliams at 15 years old as a “sexual assault,” and multiple women accuse him of “grooming” them when they were teenagers.
- Walliams is accused of inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment at Britain’s Got Talent and at the publisher, HarperCollins.
- Walliams denies all allegations of criminal activity and grooming, stating: “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.”
Investigation Details Allegations of Celebrity Abuse
The joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News details claims from women who allege Walliams abused his position as a prominent celebrity. During that meeting, Walliams, appearing as his character Lou, reportedly told her, “You’re a very attractive lady.” Alex stated that by the time she was 17, they were having sex. Another woman, identified as Jade, also alleged that Walliams contacted her at age 15, The Guardian reported.
Additional allegations extend to Walliams’ conduct in the workplace. Sources described inappropriate behavior towards women at the television show Britain’s Got Talent and at his publisher, HarperCollins. A report in The Daily Telegraph in December 2025 accused Walliams of “harassing” junior female employees at HarperCollins, where former staff said they were told to work in “pairs” when meeting him and advised not to visit his home.
He strongly denied the claims at the time. The Guardian and ITV News further revealed that HarperCollins severed ties with the author after concerns were raised regarding his behavior over several years, including an allegation that he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a junior female employee and pursued another.
Walliams Denies All Criminal Allegations
Walliams denies any wrongdoing. He rejects any allegations of criminal activity and says he has never engaged in the grooming of young women. Earlier this year, his lawyers attempted to take a case to the high court to prevent the allegations from being published, but the case was dismissed.
He said: 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 further stated: 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.
| Entity / Publication | Key Action / Detail |
|---|---|
| The Guardian & ITV News | Published a three-year joint investigation titled “David Walliams: Power and Silence” detailing allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct. |
| HarperCollins | Walliams was accused of inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment at the publisher. |
| David Walliams | Denied all allegations of criminal activity and grooming, stating he never engaged in the grooming of young women. |
Misconduct Allegations Affect Walliams' Career
Stink and The Boy in the Dress among his most famous titles. He also spent a decade as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent. TMZ reported that Walliams had been dropped from an upcoming film, The Road to Nevermore, as allegations of misconduct surfaced. Then came the sudden closure of The World of David Walliams, an attraction at one of the U.K.’s flagship theme parks, Alton Towers.
