David Walliams Courtesy of Getty David Walliams, the BAFTA-winning comedian and bestselling children’s author, is under investigation by London’s Metropolitan Police over “alleged serious sexual offenses.”
BBC News has reported that the Met investigation is separate from the bombshell accusations Walliams faces in a joint report by ITV News and The Guardian released this week. The Met said it had “received a number of allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences involving a man now in his 50s… Those who have come forward are being supported by specialist officers,” the statement added.
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Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney urged anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to “come forward and speak to us, no matter when it happened.” He continued: “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.”
Tuesday’s report detailed accusations of sexual assault and grooming by several women, some of whom allege they were as young as 15 when the interactions took place.
Walliams, best known for roles in Little Britain, Come Fly With Me and as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, had sought an injunction to prevent the two news organizations from publishing his identity, over fears that he would be “highly likely” to kill himself. He maintained that the suicide risk is not attributed to any wrongdoing but to what his lawyers described as “trial by media.” His lawyers have said that Walliams has already tried to take his own life twice.
The injunction request was later rejected by a High Court judge, after which the British press has been free to publish Walliams’ identity.
He vehemently denied the allegations and told ITV News and The Guardian: “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. […] Looking back, I realize that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with. I realize 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.”
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to his reps for comment this week and have not yet heard back.
The claims surrounding Walliams have dominated the British media this week. One woman, Alex, says she was contacted by Walliams when she was 15 and he was 32, after meeting him at a Little Britain fan event. They began speaking on the phone and when she turned 17, Alex says, they were having sex.
Multiple women accused Walliams of abusing his power and position to prey on them for sex. The majority claim to be over 18 when the encounters took place, but “several sources” also described inappropriate behavior toward young women on the set of Britain’s Got Talent and at his former publisher, HarperCollins. The company dropped him as a client last December amid claims of misconduct, which he denied at the time. Walliams is one of the country’s best-selling authors, having sold over 50 to 60 million copies of his books worldwide, with Gangsta Granny, Mr. Stink and The Boy in the Dress among his most famous.
In response to Tuesday’s news, the BBC confirmed it would be removing some of its Walliams content, including episodes of Little Britain, from its streaming service iPlayer.
Walliams was also dropped by his literary agent, the Independent Talent Group, and suspended by the Labour Party.
Fremantle U.K., producers of Britain’s Got Talent — where Walliams is accused of sending inappropriate messages to young runners during filming — said the company is “disturbed and concerned” by the claims that have come to light. A spokesperson said to THR: “During his time on the show and in the intervening period, no complaint was ever made regarding [Walliams’] behaviour to Fremantle U.K. […] If anyone feels they have been the subject of any impropriety or wrongdoing by anyone on any Fremantle or associated labels’ productions, we encourage them to come forward. … We will treat any complaints seriously. Protecting the welfare of our employees, freelancers, contributors and fans has always been and absolutely remains paramount for the company.”
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