London Police Launch Probe into David Walliams After Media Reports
Detectives are reviewing claims from The Guardian and ITV News, which detail accusations that the author abused his power over young women.
By Fatima Saleh ·
British police began a formal investigation into comedian and author David Walliams on Friday. The probe follows the publication of sexual misconduct allegations by two major media organizations. Walliams, 55, denies the claims and had previously tried to stop the stories from appearing in print.
The situation escalated after an injunction that blocked publication was lifted on Tuesday. The Guardian and ITV News then released reports stating that multiple women accused Walliams of using his fame to target young women. The broadcaster that produces ITV News, ITN, and The Guardian said their reporting was separate from other complaints received by detectives.
London police said they received multiple reports of non-recent serious sexual offenses involving a man in his 50s. The statement did not name Walliams, which is standard procedure. Detectives are now examining the material from The Guardian and ITV News to determine if it contains evidence of criminal offenses.
Walliams first rose to fame in the early 2000s with his comedy partner Matt Lucas on the sketch show Little Britain. He later became a best-selling children's author with titles like The Boy in the Dress and Gangsta Granny. He served as a judge on Britain's Got Talent until 2022, when he left the show after leaking remarks he made about contestants.
In December 2025, publisher HarperCollins UK dropped Walliams. The Daily Telegraph had reported that the firm investigated harassment claims against junior female employees. A spokesperson for Walliams told the BBC at the time that he strongly denied inappropriate behavior. He also stated that HarperCollins never informed him of the allegations.
In a personal letter to the journalists at The Guardian, Walliams addressed the accusations directly. He wrote that he realized he sometimes behaved thoughtlessly in casual sexual relationships. He argued that while a power imbalance exists when one party is famous, he never abused that power.
Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney is leading the investigation. He asked anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offense to come forward, regardless of when the incident occurred. Walliams' lawyer did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters. The police statement emphasized that they are looking at all available evidence to decide on next steps.
