“It simply was abuse. I did not agree to it. You just can’t do that to people,” Jeremy Edwards told the Irish Examiner.
The actor spoke out about being sexually humiliated during a 2006 Comic Relief sketch involving David Walliams.
Jeremy Edwards Alleges Sexual Humiliation by David Walliams
- Actor Jeremy Edwards stated he was sexually humiliated when David Walliams pulled down his pants and exposed his penis during a 2006 Comic Relief sketch at the Hammersmith Apollo.
- Edwards asserted he was misled about the extent of the stunt, emphasizing that he never gave consent for genital exposure in front of a live audience of 3,500 people.
- The Metropolitan Police confirmed receiving non-recent serious sex offence allegations against Walliams in recent days, following joint reporting by The Guardian and ITV News.
The 2006 Hammersmith Apollo Incident
Edwards, known for his roles in Hollyoaks, Holby City, and Millie Inbetween, joined the production as a last-minute replacement. He participated in a Little Britain sketch alongside Walliams and comedian David Baddiel at the London venue.
During the performance, Walliams played the character Des Kay, a predatory former children’s entertainer. The sketch involved a game of “hide the sausage” before Walliams lunged at Edwards, pulling down his jeans and underwear.
“Having your trousers pulled down and you’re stood there in your boxer shorts is one thing. Having your penis exposed is something very different,” Edwards told the Irish Examiner.
The footage was later included in the Comic Relief Does Little Britain Live DVD released in 2007. The material remains available to purchase and stream online.
“It’s all on video — bang to rights,” Edwards added. “If I had known I was going to have my genitals exposed in front of all those people then put on a DVD… I wouldn’t have done it for a million years.”
Past Statements and Subsequent Investigations
Walliams previously addressed the incident in 2011. Speaking to The Sun, he acknowledged the physical exposure.
“I played it with Holby City actor Jeremy Edwards and pulled down his trousers. His pants came down at the same time, which was a mistake,” Walliams said in 2011. “It’s a very easy mistake to make. But I did expose him to thousands of people at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. I did feel bad about it afterwards. But not that bad.”
Edwards rejected that characterization, stating he felt duped and manipulated. He said that after seeing footage of Walliams performing similar routines with other individuals, he believed the incident was intentional.
The disclosures arrive as Walliams faces broader scrutiny. On Tuesday, The Guardian and ITV News named the best-selling author and former Britain’s Got Talent judge in an alleged sexual misconduct investigation.
Multiple women accused Walliams of grooming them during their teenage years. One woman described an alleged encounter with him when she was 15 as sexual assault. Walliams denies any wrongdoing.
| Event / Milestone | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Live Sketch | 2006 | Incident occurred during a Comic Relief performance at the Hammersmith Apollo. |
| DVD Release | 2007 | Performance featured as a highlight on the official release. |
| Prior Comments | 2011 | Walliams described the unscripted exposure as a mistake to the press. |
Metropolitan Police Receive Serious Sex Offence Allegations
On Friday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed it had received a number of non-recent serious sex offence allegations against Walliams in recent days.
The Press Association has contacted Comic Relief for comment regarding the 2006 sketch inclusion and subsequent distribution.
Edwards said that the incident and the enduring digital footprint have haunted him for years.
