David Walliams: wasn’t long until asked about sex, woman says
Several women allege that comedian David Walliams used his celebrity status to pursue them when they were teenagers or young adults. One woman says he first contacted her when she was 15; Walliams denies wrongdoing and says he regrets times he behaved thoughtlessly in casual sexual relationships.
Comedian David Walliams is accused of pursuing women for sex, including fans he allegedly met as teenagers, after a legal bid to prevent publication of the claims failed. One woman says it wasn’t long until asked whether she had ever had sex.
The women’s allegations, which include claims about conduct in the workplace, were detailed in an investigation by the Guardian and ITV News. Walliams denies wrongdoing.
Women describe alleged approaches
Alex, a pseudonym used to protect her identity, says Walliams first contacted her in January 2004, after she met him at a fan event. She was 15 and studying for her GCSEs; he was 32 and had become known for the comedy sketch show Little Britain.
Alex says she had given him scripts she hoped to write about comedy, along with her contact details. After he called, she wrote down what she remembered of their conversation. Her notes recorded him asking whether she was “15, 16?”
Over the next two years, Alex says, they spoke by phone a couple of times and exchanged multiple emails. She says they were having sex by the time she was 17.
Another woman, identified as Jade, alleges she also met Walliams when she was 15. She says that weeks after he first contacted her, he invited her to his home and initiated sexual contact.
Most of the women who described interactions with Walliams say they were over 18 at the time. Some say the experiences were traumatic and asked to be identified by pseudonyms.
Publisher ended its relationship
The allegations also concern Walliams’ behavior at work, including at Britain’s Got Talent and publisher HarperCollins. Several people described what they considered inappropriate conduct.
HarperCollins said in September that it would stop publishing Walliams’ back catalogue. The investigation said the publisher ended its relationship with him after concerns about his behavior over several years, including allegations involving a junior female employee.
Walliams’ lawyers had asked the High Court to stop the allegations from being published. The case was dismissed, allowing the women’s accounts to be reported.
In a letter to journalists working on the investigation, Walliams said: “Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with.”
He added: “I realise I did not always take people’s feelings properly into account. That is something I regret.”
