David Walliams Denies Claims He Pursued Young Women, Guardian and ITV Report

A joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News has published allegations that British television star and children's author David Walliams used his fame and influence to pursue young women and teenagers for sex. Lawyers for Walliams told the outlets he denies the allegations.

The Guardian reported that the claims span many years and come from multiple women who described unwanted advances when they were young or vulnerable. The allegations have not been tested in court.

What are the allegations?

According to the Guardian, two women said they were 15 when they first met Walliams. One, whom the paper calls Alex, said she met him at a Little Britain fan event in 2004 and stayed in periodic contact until she turned 17, when she said he began asking for sexualized photographs. She said later meetings at his flat were consensual but that she felt she never had control of the situation.

The second woman, called Jade, said Walliams kissed and touched her sexually when she was 15 after contacting her online in 2007, when he was 36. Both women told the Guardian they felt groomed.

Two other women, Lilly Creightmore and a woman called Ella, said Walliams contacted them out of the blue when they were 18 and 19 and pursued them for sex. Neither had sex with him, but both said his behavior was an abuse of power.

The Guardian also reported that dozens of other people raised concerns, including young models and fans aged between 17 and 22 whom he messaged on social media.

What is said about his time on Britain's Got Talent?

Walliams became a judge on Britain's Got Talent in 2012. A woman the Guardian calls Sarah said she met him on the show's set in 2016, when she was 18 and he was 44. She said he invited her and a friend to his house, served wine and tried to kiss her, then tried to lead her to his bedroom although she was very drunk and had said she was not interested.

Walliams's lawyers rejected the suggestion that he got her drunk to take advantage of her. They said there was no sexual contact and that he did not force himself on her.

Former production staff also told the Guardian and ITV News about concerns over his treatment of young women working on the show. Two junior runners, aged 19 and 21, reportedly told colleagues that he obtained their personal numbers and messaged them. The production companies and ITV said separately that they knew of no complaints about him.

What happened with his publisher?

HarperCollins dropped Walliams in December 2025 and said in September that it would stop publishing his back catalogue. The Guardian reported that the publisher opened an inquiry in early 2024 into alleged inappropriate behavior toward young women in the workplace.

Former employees said concerns about his conduct toward female staff had been raised for many years. Multiple sources told the Guardian that he had a relationship with a junior employee who started as an intern and who later described it as an abuse of power. A HarperCollins spokesperson said the company took employee wellbeing extremely seriously.

Why did the case go to court?

The Guardian and ITV News sent Walliams letters setting out the allegations in May. Walliams and his lawyers then went to court to try to stop publication. The court dismissed the case.

What does this mean for readers?

The report is an allegation-based investigation, and Walliams has not been found liable of anything in the material described. His denial and the production companies' statements stand alongside the accounts. For fans and parents who know his books and television work, the practical consequence so far is the publisher's decision to stop publishing his back catalogue and not to release new titles.

Around Prague, based on reporting by The Guardian

Cover photo: Sriya Sarkar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped

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