Jonathan Ross Says He Was Unaware of Walliams Conduct as Fallout Spreads Across UK Media

British TV presenter Jonathan Ross has said he is “horrified” by the allegations of sexual misconduct against comedian and author David Walliams and by the rape conviction of Russell Brand, the BBC and The Guardian reported. Ross said he had once been on friendly terms with both men but was genuinely unaware of their conduct at the time. Walliams denies all of the allegations against him.

The statement came as broadcasters and companies began distancing themselves from Walliams, and as the culture secretary promised talks with the industry.

What Ross said

Ross said he felt as shocked as the rest of the nation and that his thoughts were with the many women who had come forward. He also addressed a joke he made at the British Comedy Awards in 2004, in which the punchline suggested Walliams would be going home with a 15-year-old.

According to Ross, the joke was supplied by the awards' script-writing team. He said he took it as an exaggerated nod to the fact that Walliams had publicly dated younger women. He called the joke “tasteless” and said he would not make it today. Had he suspected it referred to real events, he said, he would have refused to tell it and would not have stayed on personal or professional terms with Walliams.

Ross, who regularly hosted celebrities on his own show, had Walliams and Brand among his guests, the BBC noted. ITV's documentary on the allegations shows him at an event that was also attended by a woman who later made accusations about Walliams, the BBC reported.

The allegations and Walliams's response

ITV News and The Guardian published the allegations on Tuesday after a three-year joint investigation. They came out after Walliams, 55, lost a legal bid to stop publication. Several women have accused him of using his fame and power to prey on young women and teenagers. Some of them told the outlets he groomed them when they were teenagers.

Walliams, in a statement to journalists, said he is not a sexual predator and has not broken the law. He acknowledged that he sometimes behaved thoughtlessly toward people he had casual sexual relationships with, and said he regrets not always weighing their feelings properly. His lawyers said he also denies allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior in the workplace. The Guardian reported that Walliams remains in a psychiatric hospital.

The Metropolitan Police said it has contacted the Guardian and ITV News so that any potential victims know how to report criminal allegations. It said it has not received any related reports of sexual assault or other offenses.

Who has acted so far

• The BBC called the allegations serious and removed Little Britain from iPlayer, while it reviews all material featuring or written by Walliams on its platforms.
• His literary agency, Independent Talent Group, has dropped him, according to The Guardian.
• Fremantle UK, the company behind Britain's Got Talent, said it is disturbed and concerned. Walliams was a judge on the show from 2012 to 2022.
• Sky will no longer hold the licence for a film written by and starring Walliams that was expected out next year.
• Downing Street called the allegations deeply troubling, and Walliams's Labour Party membership has been suspended.

What it means for the industry

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described the claims as the latest in a long line of reported abuses of power in an industry with huge power imbalances. She said Brand's conviction showed how heavily the system still relies on women willing to come forward and on persistent journalists. Women must feel safe at work, she said, whistleblowers must be protected and abusers must no longer hide behind their positions.

The Guardian reported that Nandy plans to meet senior figures in media and entertainment to “draw a line in the sand.” She linked the moment to the Jimmy Savile revelations and the #MeToo movement, saying meaningful steps are needed to end abuse and harassment in sectors where careers depend on contacts and reputation.

Labour MP Jess Phillips told Times Radio it was important that the law did not silence the allegations. She said blocking publication would have set a terrible precedent that other powerful men could use.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by BBC News, The Guardian

Cover photo: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped