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Resurfaced footage shows Walliams kissing young men during stage routine
Resurfaced footage from a 2007 Little Britain stage show shows David Walliams inviting young male audience members on stage for a routine in which he appears to kiss and grope them and pull down their underwear. The footage has drawn criticism for its treatment of the participants and for reinforcing stereotypes about gay men.
The article says the volunteers were reported to be aged 16 to 18, and quotes Walliams joking to one 16-year-old about what he would tell a judge. Walliams denies wrongdoing; the article also reports allegations concerning teenagers and says he sought an injunction to prevent publication. It notes that a stage manager on the tour had previously been convicted of child sex offences, but says there is no suggestion Walliams or other production staff knew of his past at the time.
In short
- Resurfaced footage shows a controversial stage routine involving young men.
- The volunteers were reported to be aged 16 to 18.
- Walliams denies wrongdoing and sought to prevent publication of allegations.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Critics argue that inviting teenagers into a sexualised routine involving kissing, groping and lowered underwear risks exploiting the performers’ age and the power imbalance between a celebrity and audience volunteers. They may also see the routine as normalising unwanted sexual contact and relying on stereotypes about gay men, regardless of whether participants appeared to consent.
The case against
A defence would stress that the footage depicts a stage routine with audience volunteers, some reportedly aged 18, and that the available account does not establish what each participant agreed to or experienced. Walliams denies wrongdoing, and critics should distinguish the troubling appearance of the performance from unproven allegations or claims about what he and the production team knew.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “David Walliams molested young men in humiliating Hide The Sausage game during ‘sickening’ stage show”.