In a joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News, multiple women have come forward with allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct against 55-year-old British comedian and children's author David Walliams. The accusations include instances where Walliams reportedly targeted teenage fans and sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl at his house, as detailed in the investigation published on Tuesday. Walliams, who is best known for his work on the BBC's "Little Britain" sketch show and his popular children's books such as "Mr. Stink", "Gangsta Granny", and "The Boy in the Dress", has denied these claims through his lawyers. He has stated that he "behaved thoughtlessly" but denies any criminal activity or breaking the law.
Following the investigation, the BBC has removed some of Walliams's programs and plans to conduct a review of all material featuring him on their platforms. Last year, his publisher, HarperCollins, dropped him after he faced accusations of harassing young female colleagues. Walliams sought a court injunction to prevent ITV News and The Guardian from identifying him in their reporting but was blocked by a UK High Court judge last week. It is important to note that some of the alleged conduct could amount to criminal offenses if proven, according to the summary of the court judgement.
One of the women who came forward is named as "Jade", who accused Walliams, then aged 36, of sexual assault and grooming after he contacted her through a social media page showing her age as 15 and invited her to his house in 2007. Another woman, known as "Alex", alleged that she engaged in sexual conduct with Walliams when she was 15 and he was 32. It is illegal in the UK for someone older than 18 to intentionally communicate with a child younger than 16 for a sexual purpose. Walliams's lawyers have stated that they believed Alex was 18 at the time of their alleged encounter.