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The Metropolitan Police have launched a criminal investigation into David Walliams regarding alleged serious sexual offences. Walliams, 55, was previously accused in reports by ITV and The Guardian of using his celebrity status and power to pursue young women and teenagers for sex, allegations which he has strongly denied.
Separate Allegations and Police Investigation
The Metropolitan Police stated that the allegations they are investigating are separate from those reported by The Guardian and ITV. However, detectives are proactively reviewing that media reporting as part of their inquiries to determine if there is any evidence of offences.
The new allegations brought to police reportedly come from multiple individuals and date back to the 2000s, categorized by law enforcement as non-recent serious sexual offences involving a man in his 50s. At least some of the individuals filed reports this week and provided initial accounts to detectives from the Met’s specialist crime division, prompting a full criminal investigation by specialists in complex sexual offences.
Police withheld details regarding the nature of the alleged offences, as well as their specific times and locations, to protect the anonymity of the complainants, who are entitled to lifelong anonymity. Complainants are currently receiving support from specialist officers. Following standard police policy, the force did not name Walliams in their official statement.
Media Investigation and Walliams’ Response
The joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News was published after a court rejected a legal attempt to block publication. Walliams has not been arrested and is currently staying in a medical facility.
In a letter written to journalists involved in the media investigation, Walliams expressed regret for behaving thoughtlessly during past casual sexual relationships and acknowledged not always considering people’s feelings. However, he maintained that he never abused any power imbalance, stated he is not a sexual predator, and asserted that he has not broken the law, while expressing devastation that women from a decade or two ago felt hurt or anger.
The initial media reports featured accounts from 30 sources with firsthand information, including two women who stated they met Walliams at age 15 and felt groomed two decades ago. Further accusations involved allegations of abusing his position via the television program Britain’s Got Talent and his former publisher, HarperCollins.
Fallout and Ongoing Inquiries
Following the publication of the allegations, Walliams has faced significant professional fallout. His literary agency dropped him, the BBC began removing his programs from iPlayer, and the Labour party suspended his membership.
Police have not conducted any searches as part of the case, focusing instead on supporting complainants and maintaining their confidence. Authorities urged anyone with information or who has experienced a sexual offence to contact the police via 101 quoting reference 4900/10NOV26 or by reaching out directly to the complex sexual offences unit.
