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Everything we know as David Walliams is revealed as ‘well-known’ celebrity accused of ‘inappropriate sexual activities with multiple women’
Here's everything we know as David Walliams is revealed as the "well-known" celebrity accused of "inappropriate sexual activities with multiple women".
The actor and comedian has been accused of grooming teenage girls and behaving inappropriately toward young women in a major three-year investigation by ITV News and The Guardian.
The publications examined the 55-year-old's conduct as he rose to fame through Little Britain, Britain's Got Talent, and his bestselling children's books.
Several women have accused Walliams of inappropriate sexual behavior, including alleged encounters involving girls as young as 15.
Walliams has strongly denied all allegations made against him, saying: "I am not a sexual predator... I have not broken the law."
Here's a timeline of the allegations and key developments in his career.
Many of the women and men who spoke out asked ITV News to protect their identities. Their pseudonyms are marked with an asterisk.
2003–2006: Early fame and allegations of grooming
Walliams became a household name in 2003 when Little Britain, his comedy sketch series with co-star Matt Lucas, debuted on the BBC.
That same year, Walliams, then 31, contacted 18-year-old model Lilly Creightmore, who later accused him of targeting her at a vulnerable point in her life.
Creightmore told ITV News that she believed Walliams "groomed" her over several years for "sexual gratification".
Walliams denied targeting her because of her age or vulnerability, maintaining that he believed they shared a special friendship.
In 2004, Walliams met Alex*, a 15-year-old aspiring comedy writer at a Little Britain fan event.
Alex claimed the comedian offered career advice and maintained contact through emails and phone calls.
By late 2005, when she was 17, Alex alleged their conversations became sexual and that Walliams asked her to send intimate photographs.
She said they first had sex in 2006, when she was still 17, and had two further sexual encounters.
She said the sex felt "very pushy" and made her feel "like a prostitute, essentially. I was there for that reason, and then I was out."
Alex later told the outlet she believed she had been "groomed 100%" by the comedian.
"He was a figure of authority to me, someone I looked to for guidance and help, and he used that power and abused that power the minute he felt he just about could and was just about safe to," she said.
Walliams denies grooming Alex, insisting he believed she was 18 during their sexual encounters.
He described their relationship as consensual and said he was "mortified to learn that their brief, consensual relationship has caused her sadness".
During this period, Walliams continued to enjoy professional success, winning major comedy awards and raising £1 million for Sport Relief by swimming the English Channel in 2006.
He was also invited to Buckingham Palace, where he was commended by Queen Elizabeth II for the swim.
2007: 15-year-old girl alleges sexual assault after MySpace contact
In 2007, a 15-year-old girl identified as Jade* claimed Walliams contacted her through MySpace after she commented on one of his photographs.
She alleged they exchanged messages for several weeks before meeting at a London café and going to his home.
Jade accused Walliams of touching her sexually without consent, describing the alleged encounter as "a grooming" and "a sexual assault."
"He lifted my top up and sucked on my breast and then tried to put my hand down his trousers," Jade tells ITV News. "That’s when I pulled away and said 'no.' He had an erection at the time."
"I wasn’t ready for sex... I didn’t want to be touched in that way at all. I was only a 15-year-old," she added.
Walliams denied having any sexual contact with Jade and rejected allegations of criminal activity or grooming.
That same year, another model, 19-year-old Ella*, alleged Walliams made an unwanted advance toward her after inviting her to a party at his home.
Walliams acknowledged making a "clumsy pass" but said he made no further advances and had not intended to make her uncomfortable.
2008–2012: Children's books and Britain's Got Talent success
Walliams expanded his career beyond television in 2008 with the publication of his first children's book, The Boy in the Dress, through HarperCollins.
He went on to become one of Britain's most successful children's authors, selling tens of millions of books worldwide.
In 2012, he joined Britain's Got Talent as a judge, significantly increasing his public profile.
He remained on the show for 10 series and won multiple National Television Awards for Best TV Judge.
2015–2016: Teenage fans invited backstage and concerns at HarperCollins
In 2015, Walliams, then 43, allegedly contacted 17-year-old Abby Tomlinson on Twitter (now X) and invited her to a recording of Britain's Got Talent.
Abby claimed she arrived with a 13-year-old girl and was taken to the comedian's dressing room, where two other teenage girls were present.
She claimed the girls were left alone with Walliams behind a closed door.
His lawyers disputed this, saying the door remained open and that the girls were never alone with him.
Around the same period, employees at HarperCollins reportedly began raising concerns about Walliams' interactions with young female staff.
One employee, named Katie*, alleged that female colleagues were discouraged from visiting his home alone.
"We would never send any of the girls on their own to his [Walliams'] flat," she said.
Another employee, Helen*, described an arrangement requiring female staff to visit his home in pairs.
Walliams denied sexually harassing anyone at HarperCollins or behaving inappropriately in the workplace.
In 2016, an 18-year-old woman identified as Sarah* alleged Walliams tried to kiss her during an overnight visit to his home and later attempted to lead her toward his bedroom.
Walliams denied forcing himself on Sarah or having sexual contact with her.
Months later, Sarah's friend received a legal warning from his lawyers. Walliams said he believed she was planning to sell a false story to newspapers.
2017: Britain's Got Talent staff speak out
In 2017, two former Britain's Got Talent workers raised concerns about Walliams' behavior.
A staff member identified as Mark* recalled entering Walliams' dressing room and finding him wearing only a towel while two "very young people" were present.
Despite feeling uneasy on several occasions, Mark didn’t report his concerns. He also claimed a senior colleague referred to a £300 payment he received from Walliams as "hush money."
Walliams denies he was "buying" Mark’s silence and that there was nothing that needed "covering up."
Another employee, Amy, accused Walliams of making derogatory comments about her body on set.
She said he referred to her as "the one with the arse" rather than by her name. She also says that in one incident, he was staring at her chest.
"It made me feel small and almost disembodied. Like I was not a person, but just a body," she told ITV News. "And there's just a vibe you get when someone is being predatory."
Walliams denied making the alleged remarks or behaving in a "predatory" manner.
That year, he also began a sexual relationship with a HarperCollins intern who had visited his home for work.
Sources told investigators the woman later described the relationship, which she acknowledged was consensual, as an "abuse of power."
Meanwhile, Walliams says he had "an entirely consensual sexual relationship" with her and denied that he sexually harassed anyone at HarperCollins or behaved inappropriately in the workplace.
He was also awarded an OBE in 2017 for services to charity and the arts.
2022–2024: Britain's Got Talent departure and publisher investigation
Walliams left Britain’s Got Talent in November 2022 after recordings emerged of him making derogatory and sexually explicit comments about contestants.
He apologized, explaining that the comments had been made during private conversations.
In 2023, he took BGT’s production company, Fremantle UK, to the High Court for misuse of private information and breach of data laws. The company subsequently apologized and reached a financial settlement.
Meanwhile, HarperCollins launched an internal investigation into Walliams' conduct in 2023.
According to ITV News, at least five female members of staff spoke to the inquiry, which concluded in 2024.
One woman reportedly left the company with a five-figure payout and a strict separation agreement.
2025: HarperCollins drops Walliams after 20 years
In June 2025, Walliams reportedly made Nazi salutes and a sexual hand gesture during a recording of the BBC panel show Would I Lie to You? The BBC called the incident "unacceptable."
Later that year, HarperCollins announced it would no longer publish new books by Walliams following reports of inappropriate behavior toward young women at the company.
The decision ended a publishing relationship spanning approximately two decades.
By then, more than 26 million copies of his books had been sold in the UK, generating around £156 million in sales.
Walliams denied behaving inappropriately and said he was seeking legal advice.
2026: Walliams loses legal bid to block investigation
In September 2026, HarperCollins decided to stop publishing Walliams' backlist and began phasing out existing copies, including digital and audiobook editions.
The following month, Walliams sought a High Court injunction to prevent ITV News and The Guardian from publishing their investigation.
Following a two-day hearing, his attempt to block publication was unsuccessful.
In November, Alton Towers announced the immediate closure of its World of David Walliams attraction.
The joint investigation was later published, detailing horrific allegations from multiple women and former employees.
The unsuccessful injunction application did not determine whether the allegations were true.
In response to this investigation, Walliams said: "Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with... I realise 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...
“I am not a sexual predator... I have not broken the law... I am devastated that some of the women I met ten to twenty years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me," he added.