David Walliams Faces Allegations of Grooming Young Fans and Harassing Women

Renowned comedian and television personality David Walliams is facing severe backlash after a three-year investigation by two major news organizations uncovered allegations of grooming young fans and harassing women in the workplace.

The investigation, which was external to both The Guardian and ITN, alleged that Walliams preyed on teenage girls as young as 15 and young women for sexual purposes. Despite his denials, the allegations have sparked outrage and raised concerns about the behavior of a public figure who has built a career on entertaining families and children.

In an effort to prevent the publication of these claims, Walliams' lawyers sought a High Court injunction, arguing that if the allegations became public, it could lead to severe consequences for his mental health. However, the court ultimately refused their request.

As part of his defense, Walliams released a letter acknowledging "at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with." He also emphasized that he is not a "sexual predator and has not broken any laws, but expressed regret for causing hurt or anger to women who have come forward with their experiences.

Walliams' rise to fame began in the early 2000s as part of the comedy sketch show Little Britain, which was broadcast on the BBC. The show's success catapulted him into the spotlight and led to a successful career in television and literature, including publishing his first children's book, The Boy in the Dress, in 2008.

David Walliams' writing career has been marked by significant commercial success, with over 50 million copies of his children's books sold worldwide. This achievement is all the more remarkable given that he was dropped by HarperCollins in 2025 following allegations of inappropriate behavior, which he denied.

Walliams' television presence has also been a major factor in his success. He became a judge on Britain's Got Talent in 2012 and went on to win best TV judge at the National TV Awards (NTAs) four times before leaving the show in 2022.

Before entering the entertainment industry, Walliams was born David Williams but later changed the spelling of his surname to avoid confusion with another member of Equity. He has been married once, to Dutch model Lara Stone, from whom he has a son.

Walliams' personal life has also been subject to scrutiny, particularly with regards to his sexuality. In a 2012 autobiography, Camp David, he described himself as bi-curious" and stated that while he is attracted to women, he does not experience the same level of attraction towards men.

The success of Little Britain, which won numerous awards including three Baftas and two International Emmys, has been reevaluated in recent years due to changing attitudes towards what is considered acceptable humor. The show's use of blackface and stereotyping of minority groups have come under particular criticism.

In response to growing concerns over representation and diversity in media, several shows featuring David Walliams have been removed from streaming services. This move was prompted by the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, which led to Little Britain being taken off platforms like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and BritBox.

Another show, Come Fly With Me, a 2010 airport comedy co-created with Matt Lucas, also faced removal due to its use of racial stereotypes. The program's portrayal of people from different ethnic groups through makeup was deemed problematic. As a result, the show was pulled from BritBox, even after its initial broadcast.

In an effort to address criticisms, Little Britain was re-released on iPlayer in 2022 with several scenes edited out. Walliams and Lucas claimed that these changes aimed to better reflect the cultural landscape of today compared to when the show was first made.

Not all controversies surrounding Walliams involve re-evaluating past work through modern standards. He has faced criticism for his behavior during charity performances, including an incident where he pulled down the trousers and underwear of two individuals, Jeremy Edwards and Mark Ronson.

This type of behavior is not isolated; in 2020, Walliams made a joke about Caroline Flack's job status at the NTAs, which was met with boos from the audience. Later that year, a leaked recording surfaced where Walliams allegedly made insulting remarks about Britain's Got Talent contestants during breaks from filming, leading to his eventual replacement as a judge on the show in 2022.

The incident occurred in 2020 when Walliams made disparaging remarks about two individuals on a recording that was later leaked to the public. He used strong language to describe a pensioner and a woman who he had taken a dislike to, referring to her as someone who would be uninteresting but physically attractive.

Walliams apologized for his comments, stating that they were private conversations with friends that were never intended to be shared publicly. Despite this, he expressed regret for the remarks being made public. The apology was likely in response to the controversy surrounding the leaked recording.

The incident led to a lawsuit filed by Walliams against the show's producers, Freemantle, alleging misuse of his private information and breach of data protection laws. An amicable resolution was eventually reached between the parties, with the production company apologizing for releasing the recording publicly.

In June 2025, another controversy emerged when it was reported that Walliams had given two Nazi salutes during a recording of BBC One's Would I Lie to You? Christmas special. The incident sparked widespread criticism, and Banijay UK, which owned the show's production company Zeppotron, issued an apology for allowing the segment to be recorded.

Banijay UK acknowledged that the segment was never intended to be broadcast and apologized for its release. Walliams has not publicly commented on the incident, leaving speculation about his involvement in the controversy surrounding the recording.

An internal investigation was launched at HarperCollins after a complaint was made by a junior staff member regarding Walliams' behavior. According to reports, this probe found that employees were advised to meet him in pairs and avoid visiting his house.

HarperCollins subsequently doubled down on their stance by severing ties with Walliams entirely. In September 2026, they announced that they would no longer represent his book catalog, effectively removing him from the market once existing copies sold out.

The decision marked a significant escalation of the publisher's response to allegations against Walliams, leaving little room for speculation about the severity of the claims against him.