David Walliams Denies Being a Sexual Predator After Guardian Allegations

David Walliams has publicly declared "I am not a sexual predator" after the Guardian alleged he groomed fans as young as 15 and harassed women in the workplace over a number of years. The comedian, author and former "Britain's Got Talent" judge denied any wrongdoing in a statement published by the BBC on Tuesday.

Walliams did not deny all contact with the women involved. "Looking back, I realize that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with," he said. "I realize I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret."

He addressed the question of power directly. "Whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did," Walliams said. He added: "I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me."

What does the Guardian's investigation allege?

The Guardian on Tuesday alleged that Walliams "groomed fans he met when they were as young as 15 and harassed women in the workplace over a number of years." The claims came out of a joint investigation by the Guardian and ITN.

The report describes Walliams as "predatory" and "pushy." It alleges he repeatedly contacted young women through social media or modelling agencies and invited them to his home or to his "Britain's Got Talent" dressing room. One woman, who became friendly with the comedian after he contacted her, said he would "constantly pester her for sex."

The investigation also alleged that Walliams messaged "young female runners" who worked on his productions, as well as staff at his publisher, HarperCollins. Walliams denies all allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior.

The failed injunction behind the story

Earlier this month, BBC News revealed that an anonymous celebrity had applied for a court injunction at the London High Court. The application aimed to stop ITN and the Guardian from publishing a story containing allegations that he abused his power to engage in "inappropriate sexual activities with a large number of girls and young women."

The court did not grant the injunction. That refusal cleared the way for the news organizations to publish the allegations now at the center of the story.

The court heard evidence of the personal stakes involved. Walliams told the court that if the injunction was refused and the stories were published, it was "highly likely" he would attempt to commit suicide. His lawyer told the court he had already attempted to do so twice before.

What happens next?

Walliams has denied breaking the law, and no criminal charge has been reported. But the published allegations now sit in the public record, attributed to named news organizations, against a figure whose career spans television, best-selling children's books published by HarperCollins, and eleven years judging "Britain's Got Talent" until his departure from the show in 2022. Whether broadcasters, publishers and live venues respond to the investigation may now determine the practical consequences of the Guardian and ITN's reporting.