David Walliams: UK police launch sex offense probe into comedian
The "Little Britain" star and "Britain's Got Talent" judge has been accused of engaging in sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior towards young women and girls. Walliams denies the allegations.
Prosectuators in the United Kingdom have commenced a sexual offenses investigation into renowned actor, comedian, and children's author David Walliams. The Metropolitan Police revealed they received multiple allegations of serious sexual offenses dating back decades, involving a man in his 50s. This development follows reports by British media outlets ITV News and The Guardian, which detailed how Walliams allegedly exploited his power and celebrity status to sexually assault women and girls over a span of more than two decades.
The media houses also produced a documentary titled "David Walliams: Power and Silence" to air the allegations.
The documentary reported on a woman who alleged Walliams sexually assaulted her when she was 15 years old. Further allegations emerged regarding inappropriate behavior at Britain's Got Talent, where he served as a judge, and conduct concerning his publishing company, HarperCollins. Detective Mike Cagney, leading the Met Police investigation, urged anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offense to come forward, regardless of when it occurred.
The investigation is unrelated to the allegations previously reported by ITV News and The Guardian. Walliams and his legal team have not yet responded to the Met Police's inquiry. However, Walliams did address the ITV and Guardian report in a letter, expressing his devastation at the hurt and anger expressed by some women he met 10 to 20 years ago. He maintained he never abused his power, despite acknowledging the inherent power imbalance in celebrity relationships.
The allegations have already impacted Walliams' career, leading to the BBC removing content featuring him from its platforms and HarperCollins UK terminating their publishing deal. HarperCollins UK was previously reported to have dropped him after The Telegraph newspaper revealed inappropriate behavior towards women at the company.
The surge in allegations comes as several male figures in the UK entertainment and literary industries have faced sexual assault charges or accusations in recent years. Notable figures include media personality Russell Brand, who was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for rape and assault, and children's book author Neil Gaiman, who faced accusations of sexual assault leading to the cancellation of adaptations of his works by major companies like Disney and DC Comics.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham called for the media industry to examine its practices to ensure the safety of women and girls working within it. British Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is scheduled to meet with entertainment industry leaders next week to warn of potential government intervention if the industry fails to protect whistleblowers reporting sexual assault and misconduct.
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