David Walliams is facing serious public scrutiny after failing to secure a High Court injunction that would have prevented the Guardian and ITN from publishing findings from a three-year investigation into his conduct. The reporting alleges that the Little Britain star and former Britain’s Got Talent judge engaged in the grooming of teenage girls as young as 15, as well as harassing women in professional settings. That hasn’t stopped speculation about Walliams’ sexuality.
Lawyers for the 55-year-old had argued that the disclosure of these claims posed a significant risk to his well-being, suggesting he might take his own life if the report was released. The High Court rejected this request, allowing the investigation to proceed to publication.
In response to the allegations, Walliams issued a statement denying he is a sexual predator or that he has violated any laws. However, he acknowledged in a letter to the investigative team that he had acted thoughtlessly in past casual sexual relationships. He expressed devastation that women he encountered between 10 and 20 years ago now feel hurt or angry toward him. But I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me, i have not broken the law.
Born David Williams, the entertainer altered his surname’s spelling early in his career to differentiate himself within the Equity union. Before entering showbusiness, Walliams was born David Williams but changed his surname’s spelling to avoid having the same name as another member of entertainment union Equity.
He reached widespread fame in the early 2000s through his sketch show Little Britain, created alongside Matt Lucas. The program secured three Baftas and two International Emmys, reaching an audience of 10 million in the UK, though it has since faced criticism for its use of blackface and the stereotyping of marginalized groups. And the programme was watched by 10 million people in the UK, walliams and Lucas won a string of awards for Little Britain including three Baftas and two International Emmys.
Beyond his television success, Walliams found significant acclaim as an author. He published his debut children’s book, The Boy in the Dress, in 2008. His 23 published works have achieved global sales exceeding 50 million copies, drawing frequent comparisons to Roald Dahl. Despite this success, he was dropped by his publisher, HarperCollins, in 2025 following allegations of inappropriate behavior, which he has consistently denied.
Walliams’ television career also saw him serve as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent from 2012 until his departure in 2022. During his tenure, he was honored with the National TV Award for best TV judge four times.
Regarding his personal life, Walliams was married to Dutch model Lara Stone from 2010 to 2015, and the couple shares a son. He has previously described himself as “bi-curious” and titled his 2012 autobiography Camp David, though he has clarified that his attraction to men does not mirror his attraction to women.
