London’s Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into a series of alleged serious sex offences against television personality David Walliams after receiving multiple non-recent complaints in recent days.
The Metropolitan Police announced this afternoon that the newly received complaints are separate from previous reports published by ITV News and The Guardian. Officers are currently reviewing those earlier media reports to establish whether there is any evidence of criminal offences. Walliams has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Metropolitan Police Investigation Details
- The Met Police confirmed receiving non-recent allegations against the former Britain’s Got Talent judge in recent days.
- Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney said that specialist officers are available to support anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence, regardless of when it occurred.
- Police have not yet confirmed the exact number of alleged offences reported, the specific nature of the accusations, or the dates and locations of the alleged incidents.
Following the removal of temporary reporting restrictions, the investigation came to light, identifying Walliams as the individual accused of sexual misconduct and misusing his position to groom teenagers aged 15 and upwards. The Guardian and ITV News published detailed accounts from women detailing how Walliams contacted them when they were juveniles, with one alleging contact began in January 2004 when she was 15 and studying for her GCSEs.
Lawyers acting for Walliams said that he understood one complainant to be 18 when she re-established contact, and maintained that he does not recall or believe he asked her to send sexual pictures. Regarding another complainant, Walliams’ legal representatives stated he never engaged in grooming young women and denied any sexual contact.
“We know reporting allegations of this nature can be daunting but specialist officers are on hand to provide support, answer questions and guide you through the process,” Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney said.
Ahead of the media reports, Walliams made unsuccessful attempts to secure a court injunction to prevent the media from publishing his identity. His legal team argued there was a risk he would take his own life following two previous suicide attempts. Judge Nicklin refused the injunction, ruling that granting it would represent an exceptionally serious interference with freedom of expression.
Within a letter dispatched to media professionals months before the articles went public, Walliams rejected the label of sexual predator, admitting he had occasionally acted inconsiderately and was sorry for failing to weigh other people’s feelings properly, while maintaining he had broken no laws.
Fallout Across Publishing and Broadcasting
Publishing house HarperCollins dropped Walliams last year following separate allegations involving a junior employee at the company. Subsequently, his literary agency, the Independent Talent Group, also dropped him.
The BBC began removing programmes featuring Walliams, including his sketch series Little Britain, from its iPlayer streaming service, while his Labour Party membership was suspended. O’Mahony’s Booksellers in Limerick city centre announced that it has withdrawn Walliams’ children’s books from sale.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations, we have made the decision to remove his books from sale for the time being. We fully acknowledge that he has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing and that he strongly denies the allegations,” said Stephen O’Mahony, director of operations at O’Mahony’s Booksellers, told Limerick Live.
O’Mahony added that the independent, family-run bookshop holds a responsibility to its customers and the wider community, noting that parents and families should feel comfortable shopping at the store.
| Organization | Action Taken | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| HarperCollins UK | Dropped author from publishing roster | 2025 |
| Independent Talent Group | Dropped Walliams as a client | Following initial reports |
| BBC | Removed programmes such as Little Britain from iPlayer | Following initial reports |
| O’Mahony’s Booksellers | Withdrew children’s books from retail shelves | Following the allegations |
Detective Superintendent Cagney issued a direct appeal as the police investigation proceeds. “We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to come forward and speak to us, no matter when it happened,” Cagney said. He acknowledged that reporting such allegations can be daunting, noting that specialist officers remain on hand to provide support and guide individuals through the process.
