David Walliams Revealed as Previously Unnamed Celebrity Alleged to Have “Preyed on Teenage Girls for Sex”

Comedian and best-selling children’s author David Walliams has been unmasked as the previously anonymous British celebrity accused of sexual misconduct with “a large number of girls and young women.”

The BAFTA-winning star, known for Little Britain, Come Fly With Me and for his 10-year judging stint on Britain’s Got Talent, has been accused of sexual assault and grooming girls as young as 15.

He had sought an injunction to prevent two news organisations, ITN and Guardian News and Media, from publishing his identity, over fears that he would be “highly likely” to kill himself. He maintained that the suicide risk is not attributed to any wrongdoing but because of what his lawyers described as “trial by media.”

He has been unidentified in the press until now, following the judge’s rejection of an injunction last week and Walliams’ refusal to lodge an appeal. U.K. news organizations had been warned against publishing any details that could identify Walliams before the result of the injunction bid came through.

And after failing to meet the appeal deadline on Monday, The Guardian and ITV News released their three-year joint investigation on Tuesday, titled: “David Walliams: Power and Silence.” Walliams is accused of preying on teenage girls and young women for “sexual purposes.”

He denies all of the encounters and told the outlets, “I am not a sexual predator… I have not broken the law.” The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to his reps for comment.

One woman described her alleged encounter with Walliams at 15 years old as a “sexual assault,” and multiple women accuse him of “grooming” them when they were teenagers. One told the organizations that he contacted her when she was 15 after meeting at a Little Britain fan event, and they started a sexual relationship when she turned 17.

This is not Walliams’ first time embroiled in controversy. The investigations follow a slew of news stories that have emerged on his behavior in recent years, including his being completely dropped by publisher HarperCollins in 2025. Walliams is one of the country’s best-selling authors, having sold over 50 to 60 million copies of his books worldwide, with Gangsta Granny, Mr. Stink and The Boy in the Dress among his most famous.

But a report in The Daily Telegraph in December 2025 accused Walliams of “harassing” junior female employees at HarperCollins, where former staff said they were told to work in “pairs” when meeting him and advised not to visit his home. He strongly denied the claims.

TMZ recently reported that Walliams had been dropped from an upcoming film, The Road to Nevermore, as allegations of misconduct surfaced. It is unclear if these allegations are connected to the claims made in The Guardian/ITN.

Then last week came the sudden closure of The World of David Walliams, an attraction at one of the U.K.’s flagship theme parks, Alton Towers. The Merlin Entertainments-owned park said it would permanently close the area, which brought to life the characters from Walliams’ massively popular books, after five years.

“As the 2026 peak season at Alton Towers Resort comes to an end and following our regular review of rides and attractions across the resort, we have taken the decision to permanently close the World of David Walliams,” said a Merlin spokesperson to THR. The spokesperson declined to elaborate but said a range of operational and guest experience decisions were taken into account.

In June last year, Walliams drew widespread condemnation, including from the BBC, for making two Nazi salutes during a recording of the British panel show Would I Lie To You?. He reportedly made the gestures during a segment in which another panellist joked about injuring their wrist while waving. The audience at Pinewood Studios, where the show’s Christmas special was filmed, was reportedly shocked when Walliams joined in to mimic the waves before holding his arm in a Nazi salute.