Former Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams has been accused of using his celebrity status to target teenage girls and young women for sexual purposes, according to a joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News.
The 55-year-old comedian and children’s author allegedly exploited his fame and influence to contact young women and pursue “inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities.”
Walliams has denied all allegations, stating: “I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law.”
The investigation involved more than 100 interviews, including over 30 first-hand accounts. Two women, now in their 30s, reported first encountering Walliams when they were 15 years old. One, identified as Jade, said she was 15 and Walliams was 36 when they met in August 2007 and that he invited her to his home.
Jade described the encounter as “sexual assault” and “grooming,” alleging that Walliams kissed her, engaged in brief sexual acts, and then told her to wait until she was 16 before contacting him again.
Another woman, Alex, recounted meeting Walliams at a Little Britain fan event when she was 15. She said he messaged her, introducing himself as “David Walliams, you know, off the telly!” Alex alleged they had sex when she was 17, adding:
I think I was groomed. 100%.” Walliams told investigators he believed she was 18 at the time.
The outlets also spoke with fans and models aged 17 to 22 who said Walliams initiated contact via social media. Additional claims of inappropriate conduct emerged regarding his time at Britain’s Got Talent (where he judged from 2012 to 2022) and his tenure with publisher HarperCollins (2008 to 2025), where it was reported that female staff were warned not to visit his house alone.
Walliams sought a High Court injunction to prevent publication of the investigation, but Justice Nicklin refused, calling it an “exceptionally serious interference” with freedom of expression. The investigation was published on Tuesday.
