World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
David Walliams denies allegations of pursuing teenage fans and workplace misconduct
Developing story first seen 10 hours ago
Newly published allegations say HarperCollins ended its relationship with David Walliams after concerns were raised about his conduct over several years, including claims involving female employees. Walliams denies wrongdoing, while acknowledging that he had sometimes behaved thoughtlessly in past casual relationships and failed to consider others’ feelings.
A joint investigation reports that several women allege Walliams pursued them when they were teenagers or young women, and that others describe inappropriate workplace behaviour at Britain’s Got Talent and HarperCollins. One woman says he first contacted her in 2004, when she was 15, after meeting her at a fan event, and that they had sex when she was 17; another says he invited her home and initiated sexual contact when she was 15. The High Court dismissed his attempt to prevent publication of the allegations.
- Sources
- 4
- Outlets
- 3
- Left · Centre · Right
- 1 · 0 · 3
In short
- HarperCollins ended its publishing relationship with Walliams after concerns about his conduct.
- Women allege he pursued teenage fans and behaved inappropriately at work.
- Walliams denies wrongdoing and says he regrets past thoughtless behaviour.
How this story developed
- 4 hours ago The investigation detailed further accounts from women who said Walliams pursued them as teenage fans, alongside claims of inappropriate conduct at Britain’s Got Talent and HarperCollins.
- 4 hours ago Walliams acknowledged behaving thoughtlessly in some past casual relationships and not considering others’ feelings, while continuing to deny wrongdoing over the allegations.
- 6 hours ago A joint investigation reported that HarperCollins had ended its relationship with Walliams after concerns about his conduct over several years, and that the High Court rejected his attempt to stop publication.
- 8 hours ago David Walliams faced allegations from several women that he pursued sexual relationships with them when they were teenagers or young adults and behaved inappropriately towards women at work; he denies wrongdoing.
- Daily Mail David Walliams puts £12m mansion up for sale and slashes asking price by £1.45m after struggling to find buyer – as he's accused of preying on girls as young as 15
- New York Post Who is David Walliams — and what is he accused of?
- Daily Mail Police urge potential victims of David Walliams to report 'any criminal allegations' after he is accused of preying on teenage girls
- The Guardian David Walliams denies allegations of pursuing teenage fans and workplace misconduct
Full account
David Walliams, the comedian and former Britain’s Got Talent judge, has been accused of using his celebrity status to pursue young women for sex and of behaving inappropriately towards women in professional settings. The allegations were reported in a joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News. Walliams denies them. Some of the women described their experiences as traumatic, and some are identified by pseudonyms to protect their privacy.
One woman, called Alex in the report, says she was 15 when she met Walliams at a fan event in 2004. She recalls giving him scripts she had written and later receiving a phone call from him. According to her account, they stayed in contact by phone and email over the following two years, and she says they had sex when she was 17. Another woman, identified as Jade, alleges that Walliams met her when she was 15 and invited her to his home weeks later, where he initiated sexual contact. These are allegations, not findings of fact.
The investigation also describes claims about Walliams’ conduct towards women at work, including at Britain’s Got Talent and his publisher, HarperCollins. The publisher said in September that it would stop publishing his back catalogue. Walliams left Britain’s Got Talent in 2022 after leaked transcripts reportedly revealed derogatory and sexually explicit remarks about contestants made off air during auditions. The reports place those earlier remarks alongside the new allegations, while distinguishing the women’s accounts from the separate workplace claims.
A separate Daily Mail report focuses on Walliams’ North London home, saying its asking price has been reduced from £11.95 million to £10.5 million and that it remains unsold. It links the property story to the allegations and reports that Walliams sought a High Court order to prevent their publication. The Mail says he argued that publication could lead him to take his own life. The supplied account is incomplete, so it does not provide the full context of that court application or the final detail of the claims it sought to restrain.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The Guardian and ITV News account centres on women’s allegations, including accounts from two who say they first encountered Walliams at 15, as well as claims about workplace conduct. The Daily Mail excerpt instead leads with the price reduction and description of his mansion, then refers to the allegations and the reported court application.
The source material gives fuller detail about the women’s accounts in the Guardian and ITV News report. The Mail excerpt supplies property information and some additional claims about the injunction, but ends mid-sentence; it does not offer a complete account of the allegations or the court proceedings.
Left-leaning outlets 1
Only here: denies, pursuing, fans, workplace, misconduct
Right-leaning outlets 3
- David Walliams puts £12m mansion up for sale and slashes asking price by £1.45m after struggling to find buyer – as he's accused of preying on girls as young as 15Daily Mail
- Who is David Walliams — and what is he accused of?New York Post
- Police urge potential victims of David Walliams to report 'any criminal allegations' after he is accused of preying on teenage girlsDaily Mail
Only here: accused, preying, girls, puts, mansion
Every side used: david, walliams, allegations, teenage
Headline columns compared word for word; nothing in them is AI-written.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those supporting scrutiny argue that multiple women’s accounts, including claims of sexual contact when they were teenagers and allegations involving junior colleagues, warrant serious investigation and public attention. They say celebrity status and workplace seniority can create unequal power, making it important for employers and publishers to act on credible concerns while protecting those who come forward.
The case against
Those urging caution argue that allegations are not findings of fact, and that Walliams denies wrongdoing; each account should be assessed on its evidence and he should have a fair chance to respond. They say ending a professional relationship before allegations are established can cause serious reputational and financial harm, so decisions should be proportionate and avoid treating unproven claims as proof of guilt.
Explained simply
David Walliams is a comedian and author who became widely known through television, including as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent. His fame and access to fans and colleagues are relevant to the allegations about how he pursued relationships with younger women.
The women’s accounts cover encounters when they were teenagers and claims of inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. Walliams denies wrongdoing, and the allegations have not by themselves established that any offence took place. HarperCollins, which published his books, has ended its relationship with him.
Coverage · 4 sources
Bias meters
From 4 rated sources.
- The GuardianLeftDavid Walliams denies allegations of pursuing teenage fans and workplace misconduct
- Daily MailRightDavid Walliams puts £12m mansion up for sale and slashes asking price by £1.45m after struggling to find buyer – as he's accused of preying on girls as young as 15
- New York PostRightWho is David Walliams — and what is he accused of?
- Daily MailRightPolice urge potential victims of David Walliams to report 'any criminal allegations' after he is accused of preying on teenage girls
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “‘It wasn’t long until he asked me if I’d ever had sex before’: David Walliams accused of preying on young women for sex”.