Met Police probe allegations involving David Walliams

Fresh allegations of what police describe as “serious” sexual offences have prompted London’s Metropolitan Police to open an investigation into television personality and author David Walliams.

The Met said it received a number of non-recent complaints in recent days involving the former Britain’s Got Talent judge.

In a statement issued this afternoon, the force stressed that these new allegations are separate from claims previously reported by ITV News and The Guardian.

However, officers are also reviewing those earlier reports “to establish whether there is any evidence of offences”, the Met added.

Walliams, a best-selling author and prominent TV figure, was recently identified as the man accused of sexual misconduct and of abusing his power to groom teenagers as young as 15, after temporary reporting restrictions were lifted.

Mr Walliams denies any wrongdoing.

Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney, whose team is leading the inquiry, urged anyone affected to contact police regardless of how long ago the alleged offences occurred.

“We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to come forward and speak to us, no matter when it happened,” he said.

“We know reporting allegations of this nature can be daunting but specialist officers are on hand to provide support, answer questions and guide you through the process.”

The Met has not said how many allegations have been made, nor has it detailed what Mr Walliams is accused of.

Police have also not confirmed when or where the alleged incidents are said to have taken place.

Mr Walliams has not yet commented on Tuesday’s reports published by The Guardian or ITV News.

In a letter understood to have been sent several months ago to journalists working on the investigations, Walliams rejected the allegation that he is a “sexual predator”.

He said he accepted he had “behaved thoughtlessly” at times and regretted failing to take people’s feelings “properly into account”, but maintained he had not broken the law.

Tuesday’s reporting followed Walliams’s unsuccessful attempts to obtain an injunction that would have prevented the media from identifying him. His lawyers argued there was a risk he would take his own life, citing two previous suicide attempts.

Judge Nicklin declined to grant the injunction, ruling it would represent an “exceptionally serious interference” with freedom of expression.

Several sources have alleged inappropriate behaviour towards women connected to the prime-time programme BGT, where Walliams served as a judge from 2012 to 2022, and also at his publisher HarperCollins, which dropped him last year.

In the wake of the allegations, Walliams was also dropped by his literary agency, Independent Talent Group. The BBC began removing his programmes, including Little Britain, from iPlayer, and his Labour Party membership was suspended.