London’s Metropolitan Police launched a criminal investigation into David Walliams following a number of non-recent allegations of serious sexual offenses received in recent days, [the Met said].
The entertainer is being investigated over accusations that he used his fame to groom teenagers and pursue young women, [the Daily Mail reported].
The 55-year-old comedian denies any wrongdoing. The new complaints are separate from allegations previously reported by ITV News and The Guardian, according to the force, though officers are reviewing those media reports to establish whether there is evidence of any offenses.
Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney, whose team is leading the inquiry, urged anyone affected to come forward.
“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, according to [The Guardian].
“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,” Cagney said. Police have not yet confirmed how many alleged offenses have been reported, nor have they specified when or where the incidents are alleged to have taken place.
High Court Legal Battle
The police investigation follows Walliams‘ unsuccessful attempt in the High Court to prevent the media from revealing his identity. His lawyers argued there was a risk he would take his own life following two previous suicide attempts, [the Daily Mail reported].
Judge Nicklin refused the injunction, ruling that granting it would represent an exceptionally serious interference with freedom of expression.
In a letter sent several months ago to journalists working on the investigations, Walliams denied being a sexual predator.
He acknowledged that he behaved thoughtlessly at times and regretted not taking people’s feelings properly into account, but insisted he had not broken the law.
Walliams faces consequences after misconduct allegations
Several sources alleged inappropriate behavior towards women at the prime-time show Britain’s Got Talent, where Walliams served as a judge from 2012 to 2022. Publisher HarperCollins dropped him last year following allegations that he had a sexual relationship with at least one junior employee, [the Limerick Leader reported].
Following the publisher’s decision, Walliams was dropped by his literary agency, Independent Talent Group. The BBC started removing his programs, including Little Britain, from iPlayer, and his Labour Party membership was suspended.
Independent bookshops have also begun pulling his work from shelves. O’Mahony’s Booksellers in Limerick removed his 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,” said Stephen O’Mahony, director of operations at O’Mahony’s Booksellers, [the Limerick Leader reported]. “We fully acknowledge that he has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing and that he strongly denies the allegations.”
Questions about David Walliams's career and the allegations
When did David Walliams serve as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent?
Walliams served as a judge on the prime-time ITV show from 2012 until 2022, before departures and subsequent allegations led to his exit from the program.
Which publisher dropped David Walliams?
HarperCollins dropped the bestselling children’s author last year following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a junior employee at the publishing house.
How have independent retailers reacted to the allegations?
Independent stores such as O’Mahony’s Booksellers in Limerick have withdrawn Walliams’ children’s books from sale, noting a responsibility to customers and families while acknowledging he has not been found guilty.
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