David Walliams named as TV star who faces sexual misconduct allegations

David Walliams has been named as the famous man who lost his bid for an injunction to prevent the publication of allegations including sexual misconduct against him. Walliams had until Monday afternoon to take the case to the Court of Appeal, but failed to do so.

He can now be named publicly after The Guardian and ITV News published their investigation into Walliams.

Multiple women have accused the TV star of sexual misconduct, including when they were teenagers. One woman described her alleged encounter with Walliams, when she was 15, as a “sexual assault.”

He denies any wrongdoing. In a statement, he said he acknowledges he has previously "behaved thoughtlessly" in casual sexual relationships but denied being a "sexual predator."

Walliams had sought an injunction to prevent the allegations from being published because of a risk that he would take his own life, after two previous suicide attempts. In a ruling on November 3, Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed the bid for an injunction to prevent him from being named, ruling it would be an “exceptionally serious interference” with freedom of expression.

Walliams rose to fame in comedy sketch show Little Britain in the early 2000s alongside co-star Matt Lucas before becoming one of the UK'S most popular children's authors.

Follow all our live updates as the allegations are published below:

Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said the Government is “concerned” about the use of injunctions and is “looking at what more we can do”.

It comes after author and television personality DavidWalliams tried to use the courts to prevent the reporting of allegations against him.

Walliams was named as part of an investigation by the Guardian and ITV News on Tuesday, after being accused of abusing his powers to groom teenagers as young as 15.

He has denied any wrongdoing.

In the Commons, shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy asked what the Government was doing to prevent the abuse of process, as he raised the case of Mr Walliams who “remained anonymous” during his bid for an injunction.

Ms Davies-Jones replied: “I want to reassure him that this Government is determined to do all we can to ensure that anyone who is a perpetrator of these kinds (of potential offences) is held to the full force of the law.

“That includes looking at what we can do regarding injunctions.

“He will know that applications for privacy injunctions are considered independently (by) the courts, and it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment.

“However, we are concerned about the use of these, and the minister for courts is looking at what more we can do with Slapps (strategic lawsuits against public participation) injunctions.

“He will know we have already taken action on NDAs for sexual abuse cases, and what more we can do to prevent abuse of process throughout the judicial system.”

A spokesperson for Independent Talent Group (ITG), Walliams’ long-time literary agency, said: “ITG is deeply disturbed by the allegations concerning David Walliams.

“Our thoughts are with anyone who has been affected.

“We are no longer representing him in any capacity.”

The BBC has announced it is removing programmes featuring David Walliams from its digital platforms following 'serious' allegations made against him.

A spokesperson stated: "These are serious allegations. As such, the BBC is looking carefully at all material featuring and written by David Walliams on our platforms. We are in the process of removing some programmes, including Little Britain, whilst this review is under way."

Earlier this month, theme park Alton Towers permanently closed its World Of David Walliams attraction, which featured rides inspired by the books.

Walliams - who joined BGT as a judge in 2012 - left the panel in 2022 after he apologised for making "disrespectful comments" about auditioning contestants during filming breaks in January 2020 at the London Palladium.

A spokesperson for Fremantle UK said: "We are disturbed and concerned at these serious allegations. David Walliams has not been a judge on Britain's Got Talent for more than four years.

"During his time on the show and in the intervening period, no complaint was ever made regarding his behaviour to Fremantle UK. If anyone feels they have been the subject of any impropriety or wrongdoing by anyone on any Fremantle or associated labels' productions, we encourage them to come forward.

"We will treat any complaints seriously. Protecting the welfare of our employees, freelancers, contributors and fans has always been and absolutely remains paramount for the company."

Walliams had his Labour Party membership suspended on Tuesday after the accusations against him emerged.

The investigation by The Guardian and ITN also heard from a model, named as Ella, who was 19 when she met Walliams, then 36, in 2007, and attended a party at his house.

She alleges he tried to kiss her when they were alone and she “ducked underneath his arm and ran away”.

Ella said she felt “vulnerable” and “intimidated” and described the encounter as “unwanted physical touching and emotional manipulation”. She said she felt like she “dodged a bullet”.

Walliams said he made a “clumsy pass” at Ella but made no further approaches.

David Walliams left his role as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent (BGT), which he had appeared on since 2012, after he was found to have made sexually explicit and derogatory remarks towards some of the contestants.

A year later, BGT producer Fremantle apologised to and reached an “amicable resolution” with Walliams after the remarks he made while on the show were leaked, and the star apologised for the “disrespectful comments”.

Walliams said: “I would like to apologise to the people I made disrespectful comments about during breaks in filming for Britain’s Got Talent in 2020.

“These were private conversations and – like most conversations with friends – were never intended to be shared. Nevertheless, I am sorry.”

It came after Walliams filed a lawsuit alleging that the release of a recording of him making the comments breached data protection regulations. The lawsuit also accused the company of causing him psychiatric harm and financial loss.

Away from his success as a comedian, David Walliams is one of the UK's best-selling children's authors. More than 60 million copies of his books, including The Boy In The Dress, Fing, and Gangsta Granny, have been sold globally.

In December 2025, Walliams' book publisher HarperCollins dropped him after an investigation into allegations he had “harassed” young women, which Walliams strongly denied.

Earlier this year the publisher went on to say it has dropped Walliam’s backlist, with HarperCollins set to gradually phase out stock of the books in shops as well as e-book and audio versions available online.

Theme park Alton Towers permanently closed its World Of David Walliams attraction, which featured rides inspired by the books, earlier this month.

One woman included in the investigation by ITV News and The Guardian, named by the news organisations as Alex, alleged she was having sex with Walliams by the time she was 17.

Asked how she feels about him now, she said: “I think I was groomed. 100%.”

Walliams told the publications he believed she was 18 at the time they had sex. His lawyers say the suggestion he groomed Alex is false and has caused him significant distress.

Anyone who has been affected by the subjects raised in this reporting can get help and support via the following channels:

David Walliams, 55, brought legal action against ITN and The Guardian, ahead of the two organisations reporting allegations against him.

Lawyers for the media organisations previously told the High Court in London the allegations involved Walliams’ alleged “abuse of power and status” to contact young women and try to engage in “inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities”.

Walliams denied the claims and unsuccessfully sought an injunction to prevent these publications because of the risk he would take his own life, after two previous suicide attempts.

The author was granted anonymity during the proceedings, which was lifted after his injunction bid was dismissed and GNM and ITN published their investigations on Tuesday.

During a two-day trial in October, the court was told by the media organisations’ lawyers that the allegations were gathered after “a wide-ranging and rigorous investigation” and that there was a “strong” public interest in publishing them.

Downing Street said the allegations against David Walliams were “deeply troubling.”

Asked about the investigation by Independent Television News and Guardian News and Media, publisher of The Guardian, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I don’t think we’ve seen the full extent of the reporting.

“They’re clearly deeply troubling allegations, and the Government will doubtless respond to them during the course of the day, I’m sure.”

The joint investigation includes allegations of inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment by David Walliams at Britain’s Got Talent and at the publisher, HarperCollins.

In 2025, HarperCollins said it had dropped the children’s author following reports that he was accused of behaving inappropriately towards young women.

Walliams has denied the allegations.

(Image: John Stilwell/Press Association)

David Walliams has denied abusing his power as a celebrity in relationships with women but said he realised he had “behaved thoughtlessly”.

In a statement to the Guardian and ITV News, the comedian said:

The investigation by ITV News and the Guardian revealed a number of allegations of sexual misconduct against David Walliams dating back to 2003.

Multiple women have accused the TV personality of “grooming” them when they were teenagers.

The joint-investigation by ITV News and the Guardian includes an allegation by a woman who described her encounter with Walliams when she was aged 15 as “sexual assault”.

The woman alleged Walliams began contacting her when she was 15 after meeting her at a Little Britain fan event, before starting a sexual relationship with her at the age of 17, ITV News reported.

According to the report, Walliams has denied any wrongdoing.

Multiple women have accused David Walliams of sexually inappropriate behaviour and grooming including when they were teenagers, according to an investigation by the Guardian and ITV News.

He denies the allegations.

Former Britain's Got Talent judge, TV personality and children's author David Walliams can now be named as the famous man who tried to get an injunction to prevent the reporting of allegations against him.

Walliams, 55, brought legal action against ITN and The Guardian, ahead of the two organisations reporting allegations against him, including of sexual misconduct and potential criminal activity.

We will be bringing you all the latest reaction and news as the allegations are published.