Get you up to speed: UK police open sex offence probe into comedian and author David Walliams
The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into serious sexual offence allegations against British comedian and children’s author David Walliams in London. Walliams, 55, has denied the allegations, stating that he has not broken the law.
The Metropolitan Police have received multiple allegations regarding non-recent serious sexual offences connected to David Walliams, with the allegations dating back to 2003. The investigations by ITV News and The Guardian followed a three-year inquiry involving interviews with over 100 individuals, which culminated in the publication of the reports just days after Walliams lost a legal bid to prevent his identification.
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed they are investigating multiple allegations of serious sexual offences involving David Walliams and urged anyone affected to come forward. In the wake of these allegations, the BBC has removed several of Walliams’ shows from its platform, and his literary agency, Independent Talent Group, announced it is no longer representing him.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how many allegations are currently under investigation by the police.
UK police investigate comedian and author David Walliams over sexual offences
News|Sexual AssaultUK police open sex offence probe into comedian and author David Walliams
The children’s author and comedian denies the sexual assault allegations, says he has not broken the law.
Published On 14 Nov 202614 Nov 2026
Published On 14 Nov 202614 Nov 2026London’s police have opened an investigation into allegations of serious sexual offences after media reports accused British comedian and children’s author David Walliams of grooming and sexually abusing girls and young women.
Walliams, 55, denies the allegations.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Friday that it “has received a number of allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences involving a man now in his 50s”.
In the statement, Met Police Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney urged anyone affected to come forward.
The Met said the new allegations are separate from those reported this week by ITV News and The Guardian.
The two news organisations published reports on Tuesday that several women had accused Walliams of sexual misconduct, with the allegations dating back as far as 2003.
The reports came out a day after comedian Russell Brand was sentenced to more than 10 years in jail for rape and sexual assault.
Multiple allegations
The Guardian and ITV said they spoke to more than 100 people during a three-year investigation.
One woman said Walliams sexually assaulted her at his London home when she was 15, while others accused him of grooming them as teenagers. The reports also included allegations that he harassed young female colleagues.
In a letter to ITV and The Guardian, he said: “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.”
He added: “I am not a sexual predator … I have not broken the law.”
The investigative reports were published after he lost a High Court bid to block the media outlets from naming him.
The judge, Matthew Nicklin, said an injunction would be “an exceptionally serious interference” with the media’s rights.
Dropped by BBC, literary agency
A spokesperson for the BBC told the AFP news agency that it had taken down some shows involving Walliams, including all episodes of Little Britain, the comedy sketch show that made him famous.
His literary agency, Independent Talent Group, said it was “no longer representing him in any capacity”.
Walliams’s publisher, HarperCollins, dropped him last year, following accusations that he harassed female staff, which he had also denied.
Walliams rose to fame as a comedian with sketch shows Little Britain and Come Fly With Me. He was also a judge on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent.
He penned children’s books that have reportedly sold more than 50 million copies, including Mr Stink, Gangsta Granny and The Boy in the Dress.