British comedian and children’s author David Walliams has expressed devastation after the High Court rejected his attempt to prevent media organisations from publishing reports about sexual misconduct allegations against him.
A joint investigation by ITV News and The Guardian brought forward claims from women, including some who were reportedly minors at the time.
The allegations date back to 2003 and relate to alleged inappropriate conduct during different stages of Walliams’ career, including his involvement in Come Fly With Me and Britain’s Got Talent.
One woman, identified as Jade, alleged that Walliams groomed and sexually assaulted her in 2007 when she was 15. Another woman, Alex, claimed she was 17 when they had a sexual relationship. Walliams maintains that he believed Alex was 18, while his legal team has rejected the grooming allegation.
Walliams has denied being a sexual predator and insisted that he never abused his position of influence. However, he acknowledged that some of his past behaviour towards women he had relationships with was thoughtless and expressed regret.
The controversy has also affected his professional associations. HarperCollins ended its publishing relationship with him following an internal investigation, while Alton Towers permanently closed its World of David Walliams attraction.
